What is Tonsil Inflammation (Tonsillitis)?

Tonsils are the structure located at the back of the throat, one on the right and left, and are critical for the immune system. Thanks to its special structure and the cells it contains, it provides protection against harmful microorganisms that enter the body through the mouth and nose.

What is Tonsil Stone?

Inside the tonsils, there are immune cells responsible for antibody production and white blood cells that kill cells infected with viruses or bacteria. Thanks to these cells, pathogenic (harmful) organisms that enter the body from the outside are recognized and destroyed; The formation of infection is prevented.

Although the tonsils are very important for the immune system, in some cases this organ may not fully perform its function. Tonsillitis (tonsillitis) is the inflammation (inflammation) of the tonsils due to various reasons. It is the most common among the problems related to the tonsils. In addition to tonsillitis, which is quite common, tonsil stones and tonsil cancer are among the other problems that can be seen in this organ. Tonsil (tonsil) stone or as it is called in the medical literature, tonsilolithiasis; They are white-yellow hard structures in the tonsils. They can be formed by a combination of many different factors. Tonsil stones are usually too small to be noticed and do not cause any health problems. However, in some cases, they can reach the size of grapes and cause undesirable situations.
People with tonsil stones usually do not have any symptoms. However, the most common symptoms in people showing symptoms are:

• Bad Bad Breath: Tonsil stone provides a suitable environment for anaerobic bacteria in the mouth. These bacteria also form bad-smelling sulfur compounds and cause the patient's breath to smell bad. In this case, the patient may experience symptoms such as sore throat and a stinging sensation in the throat.
• Cough: The stone may cause a feeling of discomfort in the throat, causing coughing.
• White Spot in the Throat: Tonsil stone, at the back of the throat It can be seen as a white-yellow sediment. However, everyone with tonsillar stones can have stones.
• Difficulty swallowing: Depending on the size of the tonsil stone, patients may have difficulty swallowing. While some people have difficulty swallowing solid foods only, some people may have difficulty swallowing even while consuming liquids.
• Ear Pain: Tonsils and ear organs have a common nerve pathway. For this reason, problems such as inflammation and pressure in the tonsils can be reflected as a feeling of pain in the ear.
• Swelling in the Tonsil: Food residues, dead cells, body secretions, microorganisms come together; It can lead to stone formation, inflammation, and infection. These conditions also cause swelling in the tonsils.

Tonsil stones may occur due to different reasons. The tonsils are indented and protruding. In the mouth; Substances such as dead cells, food residues and saliva begin to accumulate on this indented structure. The accumulated substances gradually harden and become a stone. Bacterial and fungal species are also added to the structure during the stone formation process. This causes bad breath, which is one of the most common symptoms of tonsil stones. Other reasons that may lead to stone formation; inadequate oral care, chronic sinus problems, chronic tonsillitis, large tonsils can be counted as.

How is the Diagnosis and Treatment of Tonsil Stones?

Physical examination is usually sufficient for the diagnosis of tonsil stones. Your doctor tells you to open your mouth and examines the inside of the mouth and throat. During the examination, stones can be seen on the tonsils and thus the diagnosis is made. In some cases, the stone may be hidden between the folds of the tonsil. In such cases, the location of the hidden stone can be detected with the help of imaging methods such as CT and MRI. Tonsil stone removal procedure can be performed in a wide range from recommendations that can be applied at home to surgical procedures. It helps to alleviate the discomfort caused by tonsil stones and to remove the stone. In addition to these, salt water changes the oral chemistry. It can make the bad odor disappear. A simple mouthwash with half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of water may be sufficient for this method.

Cough: Tonsil stones can be expelled from the mouth during severe coughing. Some people may realize that they have tonsil stones thanks to the stone thrown out after coughing.

Manual (manual) Removal: In this method, the tonsil stone is removed with the help of an object. However, using hard objects such as a toothbrush during this process may cause injury to a sensitive organ such as the tonsil. In addition, this method; It can lead to complications such as infection and bleeding. For all these reasons, manual removal is not a recommended method for tonsil stone removal.

Laser Tonsil Cryptolysis: This procedure is usually performed under local anesthesia. The stone is removed by laser method from where it is. Recovery time after the procedure is short.

Coblation Cryptolysis: In this process, saline solutions are ionized using radio waves. The ions can cut through the tissue. Based on this mechanism, tonsil stones can be removed. Although this procedure is similar to the laser procedure, the burning sensation in the laser procedure is not included in this procedure.

Tonsillectomy (Removal of the Tonsils): In this procedure, the tonsils (tonsils) are surgically removed from the body. This condition, also known as tonsil surgery, can be performed with different surgical techniques. Tonsillectomy is generally used in patients who cannot be successfully treated with other treatment methods.

Antibiotics: In some cases, antibiotic drugs can be used in the treatment of tonsil stones. Antibiotics reduce the number of bacteria in the mouth and stop the progression and growth of stone formation. Antibiotic treatment should not be planned for a long time due to reasons such as drug resistance.

What Causes Untreated Tonsil Stones?

If tonsil stone problem is not treated, undesirable consequences can occur. may cause. Although tonsil stone complications are rare, they can cause serious problems.

• Stones can cause infection and abscess formation in the deep tissues of the tonsils.
• Large-sized stones disrupt the normal tonsil tissue and cause inflammation ( inflammation) and in this case swelling, redness and pain symptoms are seen in the tonsil tissue.
• In addition, large tonsil stones may cause difficulty in swallowing.
• Tonsil stones may predispose to infection and people may frequently experience tonsillitis (tonsillitis).

Can Tonsil Stone Formation Be Prevented?

There are various suggestions that can be applied to prevent the formation of tonsil stones. People with chronic tonsillitis (tonsillitis) are more likely to develop tonsil stones. For this reason, it may come to the fore to perform tonsillectomy, that is, the removal of the tonsils, for these people.
Inadequate oral care is also a condition that increases the risk of stone formation. Therefore, ensuring oral hygiene helps prevent tonsil stone formation. Brushing the teeth regularly and flossing will be beneficial.

Tonsil stones usually do not cause a serious health problem. However, conditions such as bad breath caused by it can lead to a decrease in quality of life. Therefore, the tonsil stone may need to be removed. In addition, tonsil stones can cause frequent tonsillitis (tonsillitis) as they make the person prone to infection.

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