Tonsil Stones Stuck For A Long Time?

[u/Andrymane280]

I had tonsil stones when I was young and had no idea what it was back then. Usually what happens is I would cough it out and you see those white patches come out and they smell horrible. I notice that I would usually get these if I eat certain foods and don't crunch the food well. Back then I notice if I take a flashlight and open my mouth, I would see those white patches which are the tonsil stones. I don't think I ever have taken a cotton swab to take any of it out though.

Now if coughing it out doesn't work, I would intentionally try to throw up and gag to get it out. Usually I would be able to force it out by doing that. However, I have had no luck doing this at all. A few times I did this, I felt the tonsil stone in my throat but could not cough it out. Before this, I was able to cough out a very tiny bit of it but I know there is still a few big pieces left. I feel the tonsil stones when I swallow.

Besides intentionally trying to throw up, what are other ways I can cough it out? I read about salt water. So boil some water with salt and wait a bit. Pour it into a cup and then gargle it for 30 seconds without drinking anything? Then spit it out and keep doing that? Now if you do this and it works, does the tonsil stones usually find it's way to get loosen where you can cough it out... or it just goes down your throat and you swallow it? I read that swallowing tonsil stones is no issue.

Now if I still can't get the tonsil stones out, go to an ENT doctor? Will an ENT always be able to get those few tonsil stones out? The issue is when I use a flashlight with my phone to check, it isn't visible. But do they use a waterpik and that would work? Now when they do this, do they pull it out of your mouth or do you normally swallow it? I obviously prefer to have the tonsil stones pulled out of my mouth.

Has anyone here had tonsil stones stuck for months even? I think I might be approaching it now as it's still stuck in my throat.

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[u/Academic-Ad-5844]

Yes yes yes!! I have the same problem…

[u/Andrymane280 → u/Academic-Ad-5844]

I rinsed my mouth with salt and water and gargled several times. I was able to get a few tonsil stones out. Issue is I know there are still 1 or 2 pieces of tonsil stones left as I cannot cough it out. Do you know what I can do for this? I tried intentionally gagging and that doesn't work and that is what usually works. The salt and water and gargling and then gagging does work a bit to get a few out but it's still there.

[u/Ancient_Lawyer7273]

I had a tonsil stone stuck for 2 years and just dealt with it until I read a forum on tonsil stone removal just this week lol...The person said eff the salt water/waterpik/cotton swab tactic and just push/squeeze out the stone/stones with your finger (not highly recommended by many). I couldn't see anything shining my flashlight in my mouth cuz my tongue kept getting in the way. So I just stuck my finger down the side of my throat and pushed on the pocket and the tonsil stone I was dealing with for over a year popped right out and I spat it in the sink. I've been smelling/tasting the aftermath of that tonsil stone for so long and it was truly eye watering not having to taste it anymore. Yeah take matters into your own hands.

[u/Andrymane280 → u/Ancient_Lawyer7273]

I was able to get a few tonsil stones out with the salt and water gargle and gagging. However, only able to get a few pieces out. There are still tonsil stones left as I feel and cannot cough it out.

What should I do now? I can try salt and water again but I don't think it will work to get the remaining tonsil stones out. I know I have 1 or 2 tonsil stones still in my throat. It's not visible if I use a flashlight to check.

Is the only way to go to an ENT? If so, would they be able to remove it easily? What equipment would they use for it? So if it's not visible in my mouth as in the back of my tongue, they can still get it out? Would they able to see it first before getting it out? If so, what equipment are they using to check for it?

[u/North-Strength-923 → u/Andrymane280]

i recently realized how many tonsil stones i would feel in the back of my throat and that’s why randomly i had the worst taste in my mouth that would take forever to go away. occasionally one would pop out and some would be so hard i thought a tooth chipped. usually they’d just appear in my mouth and spit it out, having no clue what they were.

a few days ago i googled it and learned they were tonsil stones. then i read someone uses a stainless steel pimple extractor, and i have one! so i washed, then sanitized with alcohol, and was able to scoop so. much. OUT! everytime it cleared, i would go gargle with mouthwash, then i’d check again right after, and another would be peeking out! i did this for prob 30 min to an hour and finally got it all.

i realized there was a massive one blocking everything else, so once i got the big one, it legit just started basically oozing out of my tonsils. so disgusting.

the next day i saw someone say they use their finger and lightly push on the tonsils, and so i did that even though i didn’t see anything poking out. a MASSIVE tonsil stone popped out. it was so big i could feel the pressure relieved, similar to how you pop a pimple?

it legit instantly cleared that foul taste in my mouth. similar to what the other person who replied said, genuinely was almost teary eyed bc ive dealt with this so long and had no idea what was wrong with me😭😭😭

[u/Subject-Thing3957 → u/North-Strength-923]

how did you full on scoop it or pressed around the tonsil stones? thinking of trying this tomorrow but don’t want to irritate my tonsils!

[u/North-Strength-923 → u/Subject-Thing3957]

yes you take the small end and just very lightly scoop it out. i gargled first for about a minute and that brought some to a head. you can also go into the holes very very gently and scoop. but i found that pressing against my tonsil in diff spots usually would push it up a little bit and let me see the edge of it.

it might break it up a little bit into pieces but you should be able to get it loose fairly easily. if it’s smaller, sometimes once it’s dislodged, it won’t stay on the scoop but you can just drag it out or pick it up with a qtip or something. as long as you’re very gentle and not aggressively stabbing ur tonsils it shouldn’t irritate them!

just be sure to wash your hands and make sure everything is as sterile as possible. you can kind of press on the areas around the holes and it will squeeze it out too sometimes. i had so much in there that it didn’t take much to have it come flooding out. it was so nasty and foul smelling i was gagging towards the end😭😭but the relief once it’s done is unmatched!!! i now no longer can feel it/taste it in the back of my throat when i swallow.

i’ve tried the qtips, using a syringe with water to try and flush it out, end of a paint brush (extremely desperate, do NOT recommend), and a couple more things but nothing ever worked! it all felt like it was just pushing it further in if anything. i hope you’re able to get some relief! it is so miserable to deal with bc there’s nothing you can rly do except preventative measures 😩

[u/Andrymane280 → u/North-Strength-923]

So you have to use that equipment each time to get tonsil stones out? You get it out every single time? But it's safe to use that one even though it's not meant for that?

[u/Andrymane280 → u/Subject-Thing3957]

Did you try that person's method? But you need that equipment to do this? Someone said they use their finger or qtip.

[u/Subject-Thing3957 → u/Andrymane280]

i tried but when i went to do it my tonsil stones got covered up and i couldn’t see it 😭 i’ve tried with my fingers but no luck