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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to see GP about tonsil stones? Bane of my life.

80 replies

neverday · 22/10/2018 14:06

Has anyone been and had any good advice or even had their tonsils removed?

For those that don't know, tonsil stones are bits of old food that get stuck in your tonsil crevasses and stink to high heaven. Lovely! Some people are prone to them and others don't get them at all.

I check for mine daily, maybe it's excessive but I'm so paranoid about bad breath I can't stop myself, I only seem to get them one side in one tonsil crater and I have to kind of poke the tonsil to get them out. This can then make my tonsil sore.

I do gargle with mouthwash daily and drink lots of water but unsure what more I can do.

Any advice? I'm guessing the gp won't have much to say about it, it's hardly life threatening but it's so disgusting!

OP posts:
TheFirstOHN · 22/10/2018 14:09

Try gargling every evening with warm salt water; anecdotally this can reduce the formation of the stones.

Or save up for a procedure where they use a laser to reduce the size of the crypts.

Shazafied · 22/10/2018 14:10

You can have tonsil craters burned off/ resurfaced, privately. I can’t remember the name of the procedure though. Not sure what go could do.

SuchAToDo · 22/10/2018 14:10

I get them frequently, I haven't seen the dr about them yet, but they are a nuisance , one time I woke up and realised I couldn't swallow, looked at my throat in a mirror, tonsil stone was half out, half stuck and that hole side of my throat was swollen and sore..

I'd love to know if there is a way to stop tonsil stones

Hoosey · 22/10/2018 14:21

Tonsil stones were the bane of my adult life until my dentist recommendeded CB12. It really works as does UltraDex or Therabreath. They seem to massively slow the development of them. I went from having to get them out daily to maybe once every few months and sometimes much longer. Laser resurfacing is the only permanent solution. My husband actually had his tonsils out as a child and still got them in adulthood because there were still small crypts in the remaining tissue. Give those mouthwashes a try though- they may all work or it may be trial and error. They’re quite expensive but you don’t have to use much and they do work.

Alieeeeeens · 22/10/2018 17:08

I’ve got hundreds of crypts and get tonsil stones pretty regularly. I have queried this with a GP but he said that unless they cause infections a couple of times in the space of a year they won’t take them out for you 😢 (this was several years ago though it may have changed!)

BootsMagoots · 22/10/2018 17:40

I too am a sufferer and have been all my life. I get tonsilitis quite frequently but at 30 can't really be arsed to get my tonsils out. I have to push the tonsil with a cotton bud to ease them out. Find it quite therapeutic now because I've had them so long but oh my god they smell atrocious.

easternedge · 22/10/2018 17:46

This sounds horrific! Can you see the stones? Where are they? Why does this exist 😭

Mbear · 22/10/2018 17:59

Also - and I’m sure you are - but make sure you are cleaning your back teeth properly. I get more when my toothbrush needs replacing ( old fash manual one!)

Poodles1980 · 22/10/2018 18:20

Had my tonsils out as an adult. It is horrendous so you need to balance that up. It was way more painful than having a baby and I was sick and sore for weeks after. The surgeon warned me that it can be very painful in adults and I scoffed at him but god I was wrong.

FrazzyAndFrumpled · 22/10/2018 18:24

Yes, I get these every now and then too. Oddly, not long before coming across your thread, I felt the familiar sensation that there was one in there. It’s tucked right up, no way I can dig it out Sad

SilverHairedCat · 22/10/2018 18:24

Christ no, only have a tonsillectomy as an adult if recurrent tonsillitis is going to get you sacked or something.

I had mine out as an adult too and it's hell on earth. Mine wasn't even a serious set of complications, but it was awful.

Abkbjbjb · 22/10/2018 18:25

Oh horrendous ....I feel for you as I had these Pre tonsillectomy 🤢🤢awful things, I remember poking them out with cotton bud & nearly being sick with smell.
I had throat infections ALL the time through my school years. Then got blood poisoning and came out in a rash due to the gunk in my tonsils, I got them out at the age of 16. Yes the pain was horrific and it took a good 6 weeks to subside. But in all honesty it was worth it to get rid of those vile stones & the throat infections

Original poster
neverday · 22/10/2018 18:27

Hmm I think I was naive about whipping them out then! Maybe I need to stop checking every day, limit myself to once a week or something .

Thanks for all the other tips, will start with salt water and move on to the mouthwashes if no improvement.

OP posts:
Monstermuncharebetter · 22/10/2018 18:31

Ahhh I’m the opposite had tonsils out in 30’s.... a weeks soreness compared to tonsillitis on a regular basis and tonsil stones, so worth it. And I don’t catch everything going as I’m not fighting an underlying infection all the time :) if you’re getting tonsillitis as well/ feeling run down all of the time go for it!

Monstermuncharebetter · 22/10/2018 18:32

Cross post sorry

Maiyakat · 22/10/2018 18:32

I find gargling on Corsodyl keeps them away, not sure if it would get rid of one once it's there though. Tonsillectomy criteria is ridiculously strict now - you need 7 episodes of tonsillitis in 12 months to get a referral Shock

FoxFoxSierra · 22/10/2018 18:33

Urgh how can you bear to poke the stones out 😷🤢 I can't do it, I hate them so much but I vomit at the thought of them coming out!

BigusBumus · 22/10/2018 18:33

I used to get tonsillitis once a month at least and had them out at 26. If I'd have known the pain I would never have had it done, but ignorance is bliss and all that. Still, I've never had tonsillitis again.

Calledyoulastnightfromglasgow · 22/10/2018 18:35

Tonsil stones - sound horrific!

I had my tonsils out as an adult and really it’s fine. Way better than a csection or even getting my toe nail removed.!

museumum · 22/10/2018 18:36

I used to get them as a student but don’t now. I think I was chronically run down at the time. Can you get more sleep and more healthy?

Diva1985 · 22/10/2018 18:40

I use a water flosser and I have not has any for a few months now.

I kept getting sore throats and I was having to poke them out with cotton buds which made me wretch. They are vile things and the stink bleugh.

Original poster
neverday · 22/10/2018 18:40

Can you get more sleep and more healthy

I eat pretty well in general, but do have two toddlers who are not always kind to me sleep-wise, actually this week has been terrible as they've both had colds and up in the night and I had some massive ones this morning which prompted me to make this thread so you're probably right.

OP posts:
Original poster
neverday · 22/10/2018 19:21

I use a water flosser and I have not has any for a few months now.

Hmmm might invest in one of these as I love flossing!

OP posts:
Shazafied · 22/10/2018 19:40

Can someone please advise how to get them out with water flosser ? Do you point the spray ito the crypts ? Thanks

Sabulous · 22/10/2018 19:45

I had my tonsils out 8 years ago on the NHS to fix the tonsil stones. It was absolutely horrific, I was in pain for almost 2 weeks, and you can only take codeine for so long, but it is very nice to no longer have the constant stench of them!

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