Tonsil Stones
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Tonsil Stone Remedies

| Modified on May 17, 2024
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Holistic treatment for tonsil stones focuses on safely and effectively removing buildup as well as eliminating any underlying infection or inflammation. Tonsil stones form as debris and bacteria becomes trapped in the crevices of the tonsils and calcify. This condition is treatable, however, and typically responds well to natural remedies like peppermint oil, grapefruit seed extract and salt water.

What are Tonsil Stones?

The tonsils are gland-like structures located in the back of the throat that help the body prevent and fight infections. As food, bacteria, mucous and other materials build up on the tonsils and become trapped in the pockets of the tonsils, stones form. While many tonsil stones cause few to no symptoms, common signs of buildup include bad breath, sore throat, white debris on the tonsils, difficulty swallowing, ear pain and swelling.

Natural Remedies for Calcification of the Tonsils

Remedies for tonsil stones focus on eliminating the calcified deposits and treating any associated infection or inflammation. The deposits are often treated using natural methods including grapefruit seed extract, peppermint oil and salt water.

Grapefruit Seed Extract

Grapefruit is a good source of a variety of nutrients including vitamin C, fiber, potassium and pectin. These nutrients work together to protect the body from cellular damage and to prevent buildup of calcium in the arteries as well as the tonsils. This extract also serves as an antioxidant.

Peppermint Oil

Peppermint oil assists in treatment of tonsil stones in several ways. The active ingredients in peppermint promote digestion as well as circulation, preventing the buildup of materials in the body. Peppermint is also an antibacterial agent that eliminates any underlying infection associated with the condition.

Salt Water

Salt water is a natural way to eliminate buildup in the tonsils. Gargling with salt water helps slough mucous cells and bacteria from the oral cavity. The salt also helps eliminate and prevent infection.

Tonsil stones develop as the result of the buildup of microscopic food particles and bacteria in and on the tonsils. Treatment for this condition focuses on safely and effectively removing buildup as well as eliminating any underlying infection or inflammation. Several natural methods are particularly effective for achieving these results.

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
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Clean Lymph System

Posted by Sofia (London, Uk) on 09/24/2011

Found this great information for Tonsil Stone page:

Well, tonsil stones are the result of tonsils that have a lot of lymph fluid to clean. The more junk in the lymph fluid, the bigger and harder the tonsil stones. In a person who doesn't develop tonsil stones, the junk is not hard but smooth which allows it to get out by itself.
To get rid of these tonsil stones for good we have to find out how the tonsils can become under active and why they have to filter so much junk.
Underactive tonsils have two possible causes.
1. Too much work and cannot keep up with the cleaning.
2. Too little circulation of the lymph fluid.
The lymph system has no pump to circulate its fluid like the heart of the blood system. Instead it makes use of the movement of the body. In the walls of the lymph system there are one-way valves that allow the fluid move one way but not the opposite way. Lymph fluid is squeezed forward whenever you make a physical movement.

Replied by Josephine
(Highland Park, Nj)
09/15/2015

Interesting. So, I never had tonsil stones until I had a bout of pneumonia four years ago. What can I do to support my lymphatic system today?

Eliminating Dairy

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Posted by Tim (Braidwood Il) on 04/19/2014
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I had lots of hard tonsil stones for years, some the size of a dime. I stopped drinking milk and cut way back on dairy products and they slowly went away. I haven't had a single tonsil stone for several years since I stopped drinking milk.

Grapefruit Seed Extract

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Posted by Rebekah (Alma, Ga) on 03/02/2011
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I have found Grapefruit seed extract to stop the formation of the stones. I take 10- 20 drops per day.

Replied by Allison
(Rc, Ca)
07/25/2011

Do you put those 10-20 drops of grapefruit seed extract in water and gargle? Or just in your mouth alone?

Hydrogen Peroxide

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Posted by Frank (Alaska) on 08/01/2019
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Teeth Grinding Connected to Tonsil Stones

Tonsil stones will calcify over time if they are not taken out. This means they will meld onto your flesh(tonsils) forming a hard whitish, rubbery texture. Usually you cannot see it because your tonsils wraps around it. All you will see is flesh. But sometimes a little white-ness will peep out. And no matter how hard you try to squeeze it out, it seems melded onto the flesh - That is because it is. Many people wind up taking out their tonsils because the medical community doesn't know what to do with it.

But the solution is easy and only costs pennies.

I have taken a 7 inch long cotton squab and soak it in 3% hydrogen peroxide. I then place this onto my tonsils for a while. The hard calcium deposits will then start to fizz.

That is the white rubbery calcified tonsil stones coming out.

Rinse this away with clean water. You keep repeating this process as long as you or your tonsils can handle it. (Maybe 15 minutes).

Rest for about 5 hours, then start again. I do this about 2-3 times a day. It takes about 3-4 weeks to get them completely clean depending on your situation. Each time I do this I can still see more calcified gunk coming out.

Don't be discouraged, there will be an end to it, eventually. My case was about 2 decades of tonsil stones untreated, uncleaned, and they eventually hardening onto my tonsils. They calcified until my tonsil was tough (not soft or fleshy) when I poke at it. You will need a mirror and flashlight to do this.

After I cleaned out the calcified tonsil - my very bad teeth grinding stopped.

The swelled up tonsil came down in size gradually and pressure was relieved from my jawbone. The relieved pressure from my jawbone caused it ache for 2-3 days!! After 2 decades of teeth grinding it has STOPPED!! The pressure is off my jawline. I didn't even know there was pressure on my jawbone, until it was released. Who knew it was caused by a swollen tonsil????!!! My basal temperature has also risen. I used to not sweat easily. It took A lot to make me sweat. After I cleaned my tonsils, I sweat normally! Wow. Bad breath has also improved drastically.

Nasal Rinse

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Posted by Beth (Richmond, Va) on 07/30/2018
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Hi, all!

So, I'd suffered from horrifyingly-smelly tonsil stones since I was quite young. I have since discovered I differ from both food and environmental allergies. Long story short, I found that treating the symptoms of the issue wasn't good enough.

The best thing I've found to combat tonsil stones is using a nasal rinse system (squeeze-style neti pot). Not only did this help thin the mucus (that would have ultimately turned into the trapped, aging stone material), but it prevented allergens from residing in and aggravating my nasal cavities. Because the stones are basically rotting mucus, I had to solve the underlying issue.

Because I was able to rid my sinuses of all the debris and mucus buildup, I'm able to breathe so much more freely, without the aid of medication or other tools. If I'm unable to do the rinse safely (while on the road, for instance), I'll gargle and rinse with a 1:1 mixture of water and hydrogen peroxide to break up any stones and neutralize the odor.

Best of luck! Here's to breaking through!

Peppermint Oil

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Posted by Mayo (St. Paul, Mn) on 02/06/2010
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My daughter started taking peppermint oil capsules to aid digestion and noticed the bad taste in her mouth disappeared and tonsil stones stopped forming. When the capsules ran out the stones came back. Restarting the capsules resolved the problem again!!!

Replied by Gean
(Salina, Ks)
08/03/2010

Hello, can you please tell me how many mg. of peppermint oil your daughter took per day? Also, I would like to know if there were other ingredients in the capsules. The ones I saw at the store had a variety of other herbs in them. Thank you so much.

Probiotics

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Posted by Amy (Toronto, Ontario) on 05/17/2024
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I suffered from tonsil stones for a few years. It was getting progressively worse to the point where people would turn away while I was talking to them and it was really affecting my self esteem. What finally worked for me was taking oral probiotics with the strain Blis K12. I noticed a big difference in just 2 days and by about day 5 I was still getting tonsil stones but they were odorless. I would also brush my tonsils with diluted grapefruit seed oil to help. It has been about a 2 months since I have been taking the probiotics and it has cured the problem. I got ill and didn't take the probiotics for a few days and the problem came back so I will never be without oral probiotics again. I take 2 pills in the afternoon (you just let them dissolve in your mouth) and 2 after brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash at night. I hope this helps someone as much as it has helped me.

Rebounder

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Posted by Kahili (Kilauea, Hawaii) on 09/10/2010
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I have had sore throat problems and tonsil stones for most of my life. Otherwise, I feel pretty healthy. I read that using a rebounder (mini trampoline) stimulated your thyroid and helped with this problem. I decided to give it a try and it worked. I have had no tonsil stones and very few sore throats for about two years. I stopped using the mini trampoline for about a month due to an unrelated injury and the tonsil stones came back. I will be back on the mini tramp as soon as possible. I jump about 10 minutes 3 or 4 times a week. I am also a runner so this is not my only form of exercise. I'm not sure of exactly why this works, but it works for me. Thank you. By the way, this is a great site.

Replied by Gean
(Salina, Ks)
09/12/2010

Just wondering if anyone knows why a mini trampoline is better than say jumping up and down on the floor. The trampoline is probably better on the knees, but otherwise, wouldn't it have the same effect?

Replied by Kahili
(Kilauea, Hawaii)
09/13/2010

Hi Gean, It may have the same effect. However, the mini tramp does give you a lot more bounce and feels quite different than just jumping up and down, so I feel like you would be missing something if you just jumped with out the trampoline. Plus, like you said, it would be hard on the knees. I got my mini tramp for around $25 so it was worth it to me.

Red Infrared Light

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Posted by Anon (USA) on 04/08/2019
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Dear Earthclinic, I hope you can help me put this in the right section. This recommendation has to do with bruxism (teeth grinding) and tonsil stones. I have terrible bruxism and nothing seems to help. I also have tonsiI stones and don't know how to remove them. I never thought these two ailments could be related. But they just might be. I happen to come across "red infrared light". I read that it is able to kill bacteria, fungus, cancer etc when you shine the light upon your skin. I started doing this, and decided to shine the red infrared light by my neck, by where the tonsil stones would be. The tonsil stones give me bad breath, so I figured maybe this red infrared light can kill some of that bacteria. When I did this my bad breath and bruxism literally went away in a day! I have a theory that some forms of bruxism are due to the stress the bacteria in the tonsil stones causes your body. Perhaps its a way your body is reacting to the tonsil stones. Red infrared light seems to have killed the bacteria residing in the tonsil stone AND giving me instant relief for my bruxism. Please share this with your readers as it may help them too. Thank you.

Replied by Nancy
(Oklahoma)
08/06/2023

How long did it take red lite to dissolve tonsil stones,?

Salt Water

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Posted by Lisa (Bowie, Maryland) on 04/17/2009
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WORKED TEMPORARILY

I've been reading about the cures for tonsilitis, but has anyone heard of tonsil stones and how to get rid of them. I get them regularly, and the dtr says just gargle with salt water, but they keep coming back. He says they are harmless. Does anyone have a remedy??

Replied by Brass_Ga
(Lithia Springs, Georgia)
04/27/2009

check the section for bad breath. I do remember coming across it there good luck!

Replied by Tonsil Flush
(Denver, CO)
07/29/2009

I use a machine that shoots water through my teeth on the lowest setting and place the tip near the opening on each tonsil or where I see the stones and flush them out with a short burst of water. This also helps take care of bad breathe. read the china study also cutting down on animal protein for bad breathe.

Replied by Moonchild
(Seengen, Switzerland)
02/18/2012

I use a syringe--the kind used to give medicine to babies and pets--to flush out my tonsil stones.

Replied by Reynoldmike
(Brisbane)
05/15/2015

Tonsilloliths are nothing but tonsil stones. Tonsilloliths may cause symptoms include a metallic taste, sudden coughing, throat closing or tightening and choking. Use natural treatments from Diane's Puttman's book "Banish Tonsil Stones" for your tonsil.

Tonsil Stone Tools and Tips

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Posted by Kay (Fl) on 08/13/2014
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Editor's Choice

Some times/peoples tonsil stones (aka tonsiloths) need to be physically dislodged and extracted. After trying many things, the easiest and safest easiest method (besides gargling & supplementing)is using a an estheticians tool called a "loop extractor" (designed for extracting pimples & blackheads). It's a metal wand 4-6 inches long with a loop at each end; (cost @$4 for the basic model; available at most drug & beauty/cosmetics stores, displayed next to the tweezers).

You'll also need a mirror, small bright flashlight, and a tissue to discard the stones:

1) Look in the mirror, stick out tongue, and say "Ahhh" (a small magnifier mirror stuck onto your mirror at mouth level works best for these procedures).

2) Light up your tonsils with a flashlight (one with a pinpoint focus, or adjustable focus works best). Examine the back of your throat thoroughly, check-out all the nooks and crannies in there (there are lots! )

3) Say "Ahh" until you can see INTO the deep caves behind your tonsils; if they are whitish/yellow you likley have tonsil stones embedded in them. (you'll be very shocked at how mant stinky stones you eventually find hiding out back there! )

3) Hold the wand and use the small smooth loop to GENTLTY move the tissue aside and scoop out any stones hiding in the caves. If the stone falls/slides away, fish for it very gently, patiently (mouth tissue is very tender and bleeds easily so be VERY GENTLE). If you cant catch the stone, simply rinse/gargle with water and spit it out, then keep fishing.

4) Now use the wand to look and scoop behind behind the verticle flap that sheilds your tonsils.

5) Now scoop inside the tonsil gland opening itself if you can see/find it (often the slit faces backwards and is very hard to locate).

6) Place stones on a tissue; fold up the tissure & flush them away when done (you dont want those nasty smelly stones sitting in the bottom of U joint/pluming under your sink)!

When finished:

*Rinse & Swish your mouth with hydrogen peroxide; then gargle well.

*Wash your hands and tools thoroughly! *Place your tool in a tall shotglass full of Hydrogen peroxide (flip it over after awhile so it is completely disinfected). Store DRY, in a clean/enclosed place, away from bathroom air/toilet spray (inside a medicine cabinet is OK).

NOTE: One CAUSE of stones is lack of digestive enzymes (lactase, Protease, amalase, etc) which is normal after age 40. Many people who have bad breath & tonsil stones also have digestive problems and/or allergies because they 1) lack the specific enzymes to digest these foods (milk/dairy due to lack of lactase; grains/gluten due to lack of protease). And 2) Lack probiotics & pre biotics (acidophillus, bifidus etc). Thus, taking/promoting digestive enzymes and probiotics is necessary to address the ACTUAL cause! As well as adderssing any fungal/bacterial issues of course). Besides supplements, be sure to eat lots of fermented foods: yogurts, kefir, sauerkraut, tempeh, kimchee, etc to supply you with missing enzymes & probiotics!

Replied by Erin
(Cary, Nc)
01/13/2016
★★★★★

I can't say thank you enough for the tip on using the esthetician's loop extractor tool for removing tonsil stones. After trying with my fingers, toothbrush, q-tips, and tongue depressors nothing was working and the loop extractor removed the stone in seconds. I found it in the beauty department near the eyelash curlers for only $2!! Since then I have used it to remove many tonsil stones, as soon as one bothers me I can remove it in seconds.

Tonsils Removed

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Posted by Damita (Hemingway, Sc Usa) on 12/15/2009
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Sour taste in mouth, bad breath, tonsil stones

I need a cure for this sour taste in my mouth all the time. Even after I brush my teeth, tongue, the sour taste comes back. I have tonsil stones that come up sometimes, even though I've had my tonsils removed twice. Doctors don't have time to figure out what the problem is and I've had this problem since I was 9 years old. I'm 45 now.

Replied by Angie
(Quesnel, B.c., Canada)
08/18/2011
★★★★★

Tonsil Stones: I was taking Golden Seal and Echinacea for a urinary infection and noticed that the tonsil stones that I suffered with from childhood miraculously disappeared about a week after taking the tinctures 2X/ day and haven't returned since and this has been at least 3 months now.

Waterpik with Sea Salt

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Posted by Mlsaway (Houston, Tx) on 09/05/2013
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My tonsils are swollen all of the time. With my allergies, they just don't seem to get any better. I started using a waterpik. I turn it to the lowest setting and use luke warm water with a little bit of sea salt to flush them out. Works great. But be careful. The skin on your tonsils is very fragile. You must be gentle.


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