When I was a child, it was commonplace to remove tonsils. The thinking of the day was that tonsils didn’t serve much of a purpose. Much like the thinking of the day about the appendix.
Now we know the tonsils serve as filters keeping bacteria, viruses, and foreign bodies that enter the mouth from making their way into the digestive system. When they do their jobs well, the trapped bacteria or viruses can cause a great deal of discomfort. In that regard, a sore throat is a sign that the tonsils are doing their job.
For some people, especially adolescents, the tonsils can trap “mouth debris” (isn’t that a nice term?) in tiny (or in some cases deep) crevices in the tonsil surface. This can build up and become what’s known as tonsil stones. The result isn’t typically a medical issue, but it can cause problems.
Watch this week’s video to find out how to get rid of tonsil stones if you have them, and more importantly, how to avoid getting them.
What do you find works best to remove tonsil stones? After you’ve gotten rid of them, have you been able to keep them from coming back?
For more information on tonsil stones:
Sign-up for DrGreene's Newsletter
About once a month we send updates with most popular content, childrens' health alerts and other information about raising healthy children. We will not share your email address and never spam.