tonsillitis / tonsil stone?

CNS · Post by **CNS** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 5:58 pm

Just a few days ago I started tasting this bad taste in my mouth whenever I swallowed saliva, but I attributed it to heatiness or something because I do encounter this once in a while.

Just a while ago however, I took a flash light to check my throat and I noticed there was something white near the back of my throat (left side). I realised it looks quite similar to pictures of tonsillitis or tonsil stones that I've seen on the net. So I took a q-tip to swab at it and indeed there was an unpleasant smell, which is exactly the bad taste I've been having in my mouth.

However I'm uncertain if it's really tonsillitis/tonsil stone or not, because it's not hard, but rather, looks and feels more like an ulcer, except there isn't any pain at all.

Any idea what is it? If it indeed is tonsillitis/tonsil stone, how can I get rid of it? Or will it come out on its own?

Edit: Ok nevermind I just tried using a syringe with water and somehow managed to squirt the white thing out. Was quite surprised that it worked because earlier on I had tried digging at it with the q-tip and even with my fingernail but it didn't seem like it was going to come out at all, and in the process I even gagged and vomited. However I'm still curious as to what the white thing is, just food particle that was stuck or is that tonsilitis/tonsil stone?

mike987 · Post by **mike987** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 6:34 pm

A tonsil stone is basically the gunk in your mouth (including food particles, dead cells, bacteria, etc) formed into a clump.

That's almost certainly a tonsil stone.

CNS · Post by **CNS** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 7:00 pm

I see, thanks! I've heard of tonsil stones but never noticed that I had any (except for this time) so I was unsure. I'm so glad it's finally dislodged and the bad taste is gone now

mike987 · Post by **mike987** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 3:07 am

Beware, for tonsil stones are typically 'restocked'.

When I still had my tonsils, if I didn't clean out the slimy gunk from those holes every day, I would surely have a few stones in no time.

Before I figured out about the tonsil stones and where they were coming from, I got some reeeeaaally massive ones.

Basically, if you don't get your tonsils out, they'll keep coming back :/
Even though having my tonsils out didn't rescue me from BB, it did rescue me from an embarrassing hygiene procedure I did twice a day... I used like 6 q-tips daily for those things :p