You might have heard people complain that they have tonsils growing. Have you ever been confused about what they are, and do you have them too?
Don’t worry, I’ll tell you all about tonsil stones, the symptoms of tonsillitis, and which doctor should you consult?
What are tonsil stones?
Let’s get to the basics first, so what are tonsils exactly? Tonsils themselves are not any disease, and we all have them. They are glands located at the back of our throat.
The real issue arises when these glands get swollen, or stones form in our glands; yes, they can be extremely painful and irritating.
Most people have their way of dealing with tonsilitis, some people go for home remedies, and there are plenty of treatments that you can find on the internet too but are they worth it?
Before we get into the remedies and the right way to cure tonsils, let’s move on and have a look at the symptoms so that you can determine if you have them or not.
The symptoms of tonsilitis.
When you tell someone that you suspect you might be having an issue of tonsillitis, they will probably hold your glands to see if they are swollen or not.
Let me tell you something, not all types of cases have noticeable tonsils. Yes, they might get highly swelled, but that depends on your glands and genes. So does touching and determining help? Not at all.
You should be careful about the symptoms, let me tell you about some common ones,
– The most common symptom of tonsilitis is having extremely foul breath, which even you could t stand.
– Second, you probably will be having a hard time swallowing anything, even water. Your throat will feel contracted, and the feeling would be like pins and needles.
– Along with this annoying feeling, a sore throat will not leave your side for even a bit.
– Not just your throat will be affected, but you will be feeling pain and soreness in your ear too.
– You will be coughing again and again without any stops.
– You will feel some swelling around your throat; the node will depend on the fact that you have small tonsil stones or large tonsil stones.
If you have all the following symptoms and they aren’t going away with ordinary cough syrups and over-the-counter medicines, then it’s defiantly tonsilitis.
Now, let’s get to the ‘remedies.’
How to make tonsil stones fall out?
This is where the home remedies come in; well, I’ll be honest with you. If you face this case for the first time, you might have soft tonsil stones that could be removed with a bit of gargling, etc.
But if you frequently face it, you have large tonsil stones, and any home remedies won’t work on it.
Then what to do?
It’s simple to consult a doctor right away because this condition can lead to inflammation of the glands and you might need surgery if left untreated.
No one likes to be under needles, so go to your doctor right away.
Which specialist should I visit?
A dentist, of course. This is because tonsil stones result from bad oral hygiene, and only an oral surgeon can help you with them.
Don’t hesitate to visit your dentist because they don’t have to rush you to the ER room right away; some complex and large tonsil stones can easily be removed by antibiotics too.
Whatever the case is, visiting a dentist should never be your second option. This is because if left untreated and ignored without any professional help, your tonsils can reach up to a stage that they start to swell and bleed. Sounds terrible, right?
Your dentist would recommend surgery if your tonsils are going out of control but don’t worry, the surgery is minor.
What not to do when you feel you have swelled or stoned tonsils?
Now, there are a few precautions that you can take if you have soft and tiny tonsils. Some people go over the top with home remedies to the extent that these remedies are responsible for making things worse, if not something else.
Now, gargling and taking pain killers is fine, even soothing, but never, and I repeat, NEVER try to remove these stones by yourself.
Yes, I have seen people trying to take these stones out with the help of their root brush and other equipment.
You are not a surgeon, not a dentist, so don’t make things worse for yourself. The best thing you can do for yourself is to visit a tonsil doctor, a dentist.
Let’s answer some of your questions and queries regarding tonsils.
Are tonsils deadly and painful? No, swollen glands are not deadly, but they are extremely painful if you keep on ignoring them.
Are tonsils stone contagious?
No, a case of tonsils stones is not contagious. This is because our mouth is protected with biofilm; it helps the disease stay inside and not spread to any other person.
Do tonsil stones look like pictures of tonsil stones on the internet?
Well, it depends on the sort of tonsil stones you have in your tonsil glands. There is a storm of pictures on the internet. I would suggest you not get worked up looking at those. Instead, visit your doctor.
Conclusion
Tonsil stones are mainly produced due to tonsil crypts. These tonsil crypts are primarily a result of bad oral hygiene so if you want to prevent yourself from a painful and irritating situation like this, then visit your dentist once a month to keep a check and balance.
Are you confused about which dentist to go for? Visit the best dentist in Karachi, DR Aimen Zia of Zia dental care; you won’t regret ongoing for this decision.
Discussion about this post