Dear Doctor:
In my tonsils some white/yellowish stones appear. The smell of these little
stones is very foul. Some doctor told me they are tonsilloliths. My questions
is, does this lead to bad breath?? Also, sometimes I touch my tonsils with my
finder and smell the saliva and it smells pretty bad. How can I fix this? Do
I need surgery? Or just antibiotics or good hygene?
THANK YOU
Reply: --------------------------
Chronic accumulation of debris in tonsil crevices and/or tonsiliths are common causes of halitosis. The simple use of scented mouth rinses may not alleviate the problem. Vigorous gargling with dilute salt water/baking soda solutions on a daily basis can be helpful. More problematic cases may benefit from the use of a Water-pik with direct mechanical irrigation of the tonsils with the same solution on a daily basis. Tonsillectomy is a potential option if these measures fail after several months but the potential risks of surgery need to be considered.
--
Steve Dankle, MD
Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Milwaukee, Wis
NOTICE: OFCN is not engaged in the rendering of professional medical services. The information contained on this system or any other OFCN system should not supplant individual professional consultation. It is offered exclusively as a community education service. Advice on individual problems must be obtained directly from a professional.
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