Your dental hygiene is pristine, you do all that you have always been told to do; you brush, gargle, and floss as well as go to your regular dental visits. Bu, you still are finding that you have horrible breath, and you cannot figure out why!
It turns out that your problems may be running a bit deeper, in the forms of tonsil stones. Did you know that as many as a quarter of the population has them, and they are pretty horrid.
Your tonsils are glandular structures where bacteria and other materials can become trapped. When this happens, the debris become concentrated in white formations that occur in the pockets. Trapped debris harden, and become calcified.
This is most common in people with chronic inflammation or repeated bouts of tonsillitis. Depending on how large this accumulation of calcified materials is, you will experience a great deal of pain and discomfort in your throat.
Common Symptoms:
Bad Breath
Metallic Taste
Excessive Coughing
Choking
Sore Throat
White Debris in the back of the Throat
Hard time Swallowing
Swollen Tonsils
Ear Pain
- Kids are less likely to develop tonsil stones compared to adults.
Prevention:
Remove bacteria build up on the tongue upon finishing brushing the teeth.
Brush your teeth regularly, this way you can ensure you get the food debris trapped between the teeth.
Oil Pulling! Oil pulling is a wonderful method of removing bacteria from the mouth. Simply place some oil in your mouth; I love to use coconut oil. Swish it around for 10 minutes, and spit it into a trash can.
Gargle with warmed salt water.
Increase your water intake!
Stop smoking and drinking alcohol as much as you can. Alcoholic beverages can leave the mouth dry.
Sources:
http://www.livescience.com/50847-tonsil-stones.html
http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/tonsil-stones-tonsilloliths-treatment-and-prevention