mommy2be Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 (edited) I just recently found out what they actually were... I've had them for years! They're so annoying and gross! My husband thinks I'm just gross or crazy or both, LOL! My description: Small whiteish, grayish, yellowish, mushy irregular clumps from the back of your throat. They smell terrible and they make my breath smell! Sometimes they also feel like something stuck in my throat, like a piece of popcorn or something... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonsillolith I just wonder how common they actually are... :bigear: Edited October 1, 2009 by mommy2be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommy2be Posted October 1, 2009 Author Share Posted October 1, 2009 Ok... so I'm not the only one! Yay! So how do you guys help get rid of them? Or, have you found anything that helps prevent them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKDmom Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 I went to the doctor for these when I was in college (thought I had strep or something). I got the impression it's pretty common for anyone who still has tonsils. The whole purpose of your tonsils seems to be to harbor bacteria... Oh, and the dr. just pushed them out with a popsicle stick. You have to do that every so often. And it's nice to rinse with Listerene afterward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyOR Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 I was so embarrassed by these as a young person! For years I did the tongue depressor thing too...used whatever was available. I haven't had them for probably the past 10 (?) years. I have a large hole in both tonsils, but I don't have any plaque build up anymore. All my children have them too. Some worse than others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 I just recently found out what they actually were... I've had them for years! They're so annoying and gross! My husband thinks I'm just gross or crazy or both, LOL! My description: Small whiteish, grayish, yellowish, mushy irregular clumps from the back of your throat. They smell terrible and they make my breath smell! Sometimes they also feel like something stuck in my throat, like a piece of popcorn or something... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonsillolith I just wonder how common they actually are... :bigear: I got my tonsils out at 19 because of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supertechmom Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 had no clue about them but now understand what has been going on. You can clean them out???? I didn't even know you could reach your tonsils enough to do something about them. I just thought I had food stuck in my throat.:tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 I get these!!! I don't get them very often though. I usually use the back of my eyeliner pencil (the rounded end) to pry them out. I also get salivary gland stones. Anyone else get these? I often wondered if the two were related. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newlifemom Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 When the tonsils went they went. As an aside, while I was growing up and watching the tweety bird cartoons, I always thought that the dangly thing in the back of the mouth was not real. Never saw it until after my tonsils were out. :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommy2be Posted October 1, 2009 Author Share Posted October 1, 2009 had no clue about them but now understand what has been going on. You can clean them out???? I didn't even know you could reach your tonsils enough to do something about them. I just thought I had food stuck in my throat.:tongue_smilie: Well, mine have always just kind of randomly come out on their own... It's so gross though! Sometimes in the middle of talking, sometimes for no apparent reason, sometimes from drinking, eating, coughing, brushing my teeth... When I can feel one I try to get it out but haven't had a whole lot of success. Now I'm just dying to go see if I can get some out with a qtip or something... Is that weird? LOL! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Count me in. I never noticed them until I was an adult, living on my own, and went to the doctor because I could feel something stuck on/in my throat but couldn't see it. I was terrified that I had some kind of growth! He showed me what it was and popped it out with a tongue depressor. Now I get them occasionally (so annoying). Poor DH gets huge ones though, because his tonsils seem to have lots of crevices and pocks. Drives him nuts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 my oldest son used to get them, but hasn't since having his tonsils removed (thank God because the kid used to get strep every other month when he had his tonsils) I've never gotten them, but I have had my uvula (that dangly thing in the back of your throat) get swollen and it was awful. I kept feeling like I was choking. I went to the Doc and was told. "Just live with it, it will go back to normal eventually" Well it really sucked to "Just live with it" for the 10 days it took to get back to normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bamagirl Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 I've never had them but my college boyfriend got them one time...his breath was horrible..kinda smelled like moth balls! I knocked them off with eraser end of a pencil....ewwwww! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 There was a 3-4 month time period where I had these and they were SO annoying. I was able to work them out by myself and I gargled a lot to help, but after I started watching my diet a little better they stopped. I assume it was related but I haven't had them since. :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyOR Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 A Q-tip works if you can keep your gag reflex under control. You may want to dampen the cotton swab first. I've tried using a dry swab and it actually hurt my tonsil and a sore developed. As a courtesy to my dentist, I always make sure my tonsils are "clean" before an appointment. I've apologized to him and he said he didn't notice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenL Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Oh my gosh! That's what these things in my mouth are??? They are so annoying, and they only started recently. I just realized I could push them out with a q-tip, but some of you have much better ideas! Is there any way aside from removal of the tonsils to get rid of them? I'm always worried my breath stinks as a result, so I chew gum all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommy2be Posted October 1, 2009 Author Share Posted October 1, 2009 Wow! This is making me feel better! So far, the majority of us have had them or at least know someone who has or does! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyOR Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Sitting here reading this, I can't believe I'm letting the world in on one of my deep dark secrets. ACK! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommy2be Posted October 1, 2009 Author Share Posted October 1, 2009 Sitting here reading this, I can't believe I'm letting the world in on one of my deep dark secrets. ACK! I know! I've thought about asking the dentist about them before... But I've always been kind of afraid they would be like "What? I've never heard of anything like that" or just look at me crazy... haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5KidzRUs Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Same here - I had no idea it was so prevalent!! Wow - learn something new each day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jujsky Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Ewwww! I didn't know they had a specific name. I get them too from time-to-time. They're nasty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mammaruss Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 I have felt one at the back of my throat all day and it is driving me nuts!!:angry: I am happy to learn that there is a name for these foreign objects--after all these years I thought this only happened to me!! :smilielol5:I learn so much from this site!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwinMominTX Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 He should get them removed. Best thing my husband ever did - it really helped with his snoring. I had mine taken out at 25. My dh was 40. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cajunrose Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 I have gotten them for years. I didn't know what they were until recently though. I was desperate to get one dislodged. So frustrating! Look it up on youtube..it's nasty :( I used every method in the book. I think it was a combo of them all that helped me to finally get mine out. I had 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwimmyKids Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 I never knew what they were. I never know they're there until they are loose in my mouth and I spit into a Kleenex. It's not as if I see or feel them lodged at the back of my mouth. Gross. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Sheepishly raising my hand, adding another reason I wish I had had my tonsils out as a child. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newlifemom Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 You know I was just at the dentist with dd 6 for a small cavity. I asked him about tonsils and their bad breath, he said I should have them checked out, b/c of this very thing. I had totally forgotten about this thread. I am really going to push with their doctor, b/c quite frankly, I cannot take they way their breath smells anymore. (what kind of a mother am I?) No wait, don't answer that.:tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mesa Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 Yep, I had them... I got my tonsils out at 26 because of them. My tonsils kept getting infected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2cents Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 I used to get those white dots too and my GP referred me to the Ear/Nose/Throat specialist who took one look at my tonsils and had me scheduled for tonsilectomy within a week. According to the specialist, those dots are a sign that the tonsils are chronically infected and they've lost their ability to be effective filters. Before I had them out, I used to get sick A LOT with horrible sore throats. Since getting them out (at age 25) I hardly ever get sick and rarely have a sore throat. The few sore throats I've had aren't nearly as bad or last as long as before the surgery. The tonsilectomy was one of the best things I've ever done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 I said, Yes, but I don't get them anymore. I used to get them as a child but haven't in years. But, I also don't drink milk anymore, and I noticed that there was a possible link in one article I read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonesloonybin Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 I had never heard of them until my oldest had one. I had no idea. When she first showed me, I thought it was a tumor or something. We tried to get it out with a qtip and her toothbrush and some come out. Then the next day it came out on its own. I really hope she doesn't get more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OHGrandma Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 I used to have them a lot as a child, continuing through the teen years. They were so constant that I had a hole in each tonsil where they constantly emerged. In my 20's & 30's the frequency lessened. By my 40's the holes had pretty well closed. I still get an ocassional one and my throat will feel mildly sore for a short time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5KidzRUs Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 I was told by a doctor that they are necrotic tissue and "things" that get stuck in the pocket of the throat and rot ... which is why they stink so bad, especially if you sqish them ... ew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 I don't get them but I have been battling a sinus condition for over a year and someone recommended TheraBreath products - where I noticed they also talk about tonsil stones & have a treatment package. http://www.therabreath.com/art_tonsilstones.asp Maybe this is worth a try for those who want to prevent them.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonibee Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 Ohmygosh! I really thought I WAS the only one who got these. Annoying, very annoying. And mine seem to take about a month to work their way out and I can feel them nearly every day. I can get it out if I can see it, but I can feel it way before it works its way to the surface. Joan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 Wow, I never knew what they were called ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.