Can I demand to have my tonsils removed? (Tonsil stones)

[SlightPanicAhoy]

I have no problem with infections or tonsillitis or anything, never been to the GP with tonsil related illness but I do suffer from tonsil stones and they are really getting me down.

I brush my teeth all the time, use mouth wash but the back of my mouth always tastes rank, I'm self conscious and am always worried one will dislodge at an awful time.

Are tonsils stones a good enough reason to demand they are removed on the NHS. It's really getting me down.

Close relative has these and regularly has to push them out manually. She went to GP and got referral to local ENT. Told bluntly that unless tonsils were infected or there were recurring throat infections the NHS would not undertake removal of tonsils due to stones. Apparently risks of general anaethestic too high for the purpose of the op.
Basically sent her away and told her to gargle after meals! but did say this was something that could get done privately.

i press my tonsils with my finger every now and again to squueze mine out. Its quite satisfying.

I had tonsil stones all the time for years, I only got mine out after countless throat infections as a teen.

Privately, but not on the NHS.

It was on embarrassing bodies a few weeks ago. They recommended using a lazer technique to smooth away the 'pits' collecting the stones.

I have a gp appointment booked about this, but can see me needing to go private. I feel like I can't smell or taste anything properly because of them.

I have £49 in the bank right now. Am not the sort that can afford to go private. I've had them since being a small child but the last year or so they are much worse :(

It's been 9 years since my tonsils came out and I still retch at the memory of them. At their worst I would get mouthfuls of them at a time.

Would an antibacterial mouthwash help? Obviously won't help with stuff getting caught in the pits but it might help the smell?

Think I saw an instructional video on YouTube showing how to clean them out with a Water Pik, might be worth investigating.

I use corsodyl. And I can't pick them out, they just come out on their own accord but I can feel them in there. Its really horrible :( and I am super paranoid about my breath.

Gross I just watched a vid, some guy used a small Hoover to suck them out.

They do taste and smell pretty foul, you have my sympathy. I wish I knew where to prod them, they just appear randomly in my mouth every so often.

I've tried the techniques to get them out manually but they don't work for me. Just make me gag! Anyone know how much it could cost to go private?

So glad I saw this thread. SlightPanicAhoy, DS (10) has tonsil stones. His breath is foul. He also seems to have developed a constant low grade infection.
My GP thinks we are nuts to have his tonsils removed. We are with BUPA so saw a consultant recently. Whilst he agrees the op is traumatic,with risks- DSIL suffered a haemorrhage following tonsillectomy as an adult-he feels as we do. That in 20 years DS will be wishing he had had them removed years ago, and will want them out then. So why not just get them out now?
DS is keen to have them removed as he gets temps from the infection, and the stones are very annoying.
I worry that the smell will really put people off him. I hate bad breath.
I don't know how much it would cost through BUPA, but it was covered.
I take it you would recommend he had them out?

A temporary measure is gargling dissolvable aspirin.

Tmi alert. I could see a large pit on my right tonsil. I used to press it with a cotton bud and loads would pop out. The smell of them is horrendous. Having decayed food sitting in the back of your throat can't be good for your immune system. My glands often look swollen and I feel run down when they are bad.

It costs about 2.5k for a child and about £3k for an adult tonsilectomy.

Eek. I'll just live with them

I used to get them and tbh they were an indication of my poor health in general,I used to be run down a lot.

Take vit x-a megga dose.

Take a multi vit.

Gargle with salt water at least 3x day-keep this up for at least a month not just now and again.

Prod with a cotton bud to remove them or I've read water piks are excellent.

I knew someone with this problem and they cut out all dairy products (milk, cheese, yoghurt, etc. not eggs) and it stopped completely. Worth a try for a few weeks.