# Small food particles getting stuck in back of mouth

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-food-particles-getting-stuck-in-back-of-mouth/197851>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 26, 2003, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-food-particles-getting-stuck-in-back-of-mouth/197851 "2003-08-26T22:33:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![alimarx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@alimarx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alimarx)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-food-particles-getting-stuck-in-back-of-mouth/197851/1 "2003-08-26T22:33:52Z")

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Kind of an unpleasant, personal problem here.  
A few years ago, I came down with what I call “old man breath”. I call it that cuz I remember my dad having it. It’s hard to describe (but then aren’t most smells?), but it’s not good. Now I don’t exactly have poor dental hygiene, and when I would get this bad breath, I would try to clean extra well, which would work for a while, but this wasn’t the cause. It wasn’t garlic or onions, or any other hyper-aromatic foods cuz they don’t smell like “old man breath”.  
Several months ago, I discovered the cause. At the back of my mouth, on either side of my throat, _just_ in reach of my tongue, I have these two softish areas with small pits and crevices in them. Not sure exactly what they are, maybe salivary glands? Here, small food particles get trapped in the pits and crevices, and stay there stinkin’ up the place. (I know this is the cause, cuz by the time I get them out, they _taste_ like “old man smell”. Yuck!) I’m usually able to pick them out with my tongue (gotten better over the last few months of practice), sometimes I need my finger, sometimes I try for days.  
My question is, does anyone else get this? Any ideas for prevention/cure?

thanks

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**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-food-particles-getting-stuck-in-back-of-mouth/197851/2 "2003-08-26T23:09:57Z")

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**Tonsiloliths!** The subject comes up regularly on the SDMB. You can read [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=96718) for more information.

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**Author:** ![Rhum\_Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rhum\_Runner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhum_Runner)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-food-particles-getting-stuck-in-back-of-mouth/197851/3 "2003-08-27T01:59:48Z")

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So what is the best way to deal with these things?