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

[neverday]

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!

I just looked up the cb12 mouthwash, crikey it's pricey isn't it!

I’ve got a straightened Bobby pin in the bathroom to dig them out Dairy does seem to make them worse but now I don’t give them chance to build up in the same way. Will definitely be tracking down some CB12 if it helps, though.

I spend years not knowing what they were and feeling massively embarrassed so it’s interesting to see other people sharing their experiences of them.

i used to get them a lot, and then once, i really hurt my tonsils digging, and squeezing and they swelled up sore. I used antibacterial mouthwash and tried to get it on my tonsils as much as possible without it going into my lungs and since then ive hardly had them at all

Corsodyl stains teeth badly if you use it regularly.
Having read this I am very glad I had my tonsils removed as a child, but I can still remember the intense pain. I was 7. It was like swallowing glass and I seem to remember that I lived on weetabix and hot milk for a time.

🤢

Took my young DC to GP with this as it was occurring every couple of days and a couple have been huge - think 1cm rectangles! Was told completely harmless and very common, esp. in children. GP said tonsils looked fine but were full of large crypts, so live with it if possible as alternative was surgery and that is best avoided. DC finds it very annoying though.

I have chronic tonsil stones. I use a curved medical syringe with a very narrow edge and put it in the holes to clean them out - sterilise the syringe daily. Its horrid but i think if i was just to prod them they could get worse

I used to get them all the time. My tonsil turned really nasty where I kept poking it to get them out. Had both my tonsils out at 32 years of age.
I did exactly what the Dr said and it really wasn't a bad recovery, especially compared to a 3 day labour. I have no regrets getting my tonsils out.

I used to have tonsil stones & remember making myself so sore by always prodding trying to dislodge them.

I've gave up dairy 3+ years ago & have literally not had one since. Not sure if this would be the same for everyone but thought it worth mentioning.

Sounds horrible, I'm so glad I don't have tonsils

Does anyone who uses a water floss er know whether you aim it at the tonsil stones? Or is it just general use that prevents them?

I've NEVER heard of tonsil stones! How can i check? Just with a mirror? Can one have them and not know??

I also used a straightened Bobby pin to dig mine out. I took a course of antibiotics a while ago and didn't get any tonsil stones for 6 months or so afterwards.

I'm going to wade in quite late here and recommend apple cider viniger.
I had them so badly I felt like something was constantly stuck in my throat, could see the tips but could never get them out as they'd grown too large in the crater.

A few Week of drinking hot water with two teaspoons apple cider vinigar and honey to taste. They dissappeared and only come back when I'm overly stressed but it's occasionally and only one or two

I've suffered for years and blame all my problems on them. I wont stand close to anyone and never leave the house without mints or chewing gum.

I eat very little cheese and that has made a big difference. If I do eat cheese I drink lots of water before during and after. I moved to electric toothbrush and never skip a brushing session. I sometimes end up brushing my teeth 5 times a day. I cant often get them out, I have took strong of gag reflex .

I used to get them very badly, but when I started low carbing they just stopped forming. I've had a couple over the summer because I went back to eating carbs I think.

I've had them all my life but only learnt what they were through mumsnet. I went to my gp aged about 18 as I was so down about it, I could feel them in my throat all the time and I used to gag constantly as I was so disgusted by it. He told me they were cysts and that they were actually clear not white?! He basically said tough nothing we can do and sent me on my way. I wish I could remove them myself like others on here but I have such a strong gag reflex and just the thought of it turns my stomach, I really am repulsed by it. It is much better since I have up dairy but I do still get the occasional one and I would do anything to make it stop altogether

I've had them for ages, but when I had gestational diabetes and was eating no processed carbs they really cleared up, so if you're after anecdata, then add mine to the pile!

Totally agree with the diet thing. I used to get them all the time and since giving up dairy and going relatively low carb for the last 3 years I virtually never get them. On the rare occasion I’ve indulged in some cheese or something sugary for more than a day or so, I notice they come back with avengence!

Worrying amount of evidence for dairy and carbs being an issue, I do love bread and cheese! Agh.

I'm actually not sure what lazering would do in my case, my "problem" crater is really really deep! 

I have one crater that just continually fills up with a stone. I call them ‘chunks.’

I get it out my pressing the side of my tonsil with a cotton bud.

Know what’s really gross? When you’ve not long eaten some crisps and half an hour later feel some ‘crisp’ in your mouth that you presume was stuck in a tooth. Then you realise you are eating chunk 🤮

There is no smell in the world like chunks

AIBU for almost wanting one for satisfactory yuk factor?!

I get these. Always the left bloody tonsil.

I find I get them if I don’t floss for a couple of days. So gross

Hardly anything grosses me out but this has!

I'm very grateful for the fact that my tonsils were whipped out when I was 14 and I've never suffered from these. If I did have these, I would gladly go through another tonsillectomy!