# Tonsil Stones (not for the squeemish) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 22, 2011, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonsil-stones-not-for-the-squeemish/603728 "2011-11-22T06:55:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Time\_Stranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@Time\_Stranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Time_Stranger)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonsil-stones-not-for-the-squeemish/603728/21 "2011-11-22T18:51:06Z")
Is this one of those things that you’ll definitely know if you have them? Because now I’m paranoid. ---
**Author:** ![Molotok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Molotok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Molotok)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonsil-stones-not-for-the-squeemish/603728/22 "2011-11-22T18:58:07Z")
> [@Time\_Stranger](#): > > Is this one of those things that you’ll definitely know if you have them? Because now I’m paranoid. I think so, yes. People keep mentioning removing them with fingers or chopsticks… how is this possible??? I think mine are further back. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonsil-stones-not-for-the-squeemish/603728/23 "2011-11-22T19:07:06Z")
> [@Time\_Stranger](#): > > Is this one of those things that you’ll definitely know if you have them? Because now I’m paranoid. Someone please answer this question because I’m paranoid as well and too chicken to look at the link in the first post since it sounds so nasty. I have occasional bouts of tonsillitis but I have never heard of anything like this. ---
**Author:** ![Molotok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Molotok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Molotok)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonsil-stones-not-for-the-squeemish/603728/24 "2011-11-22T19:16:45Z")
If you don’t have hard, sewerage-smelling lumps coming from your throat area, I wouldn’t worry. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonsil-stones-not-for-the-squeemish/603728/25 "2011-11-22T19:17:25Z")
Hubster has had horrible breath, even though he had his tonsils removed years ago. His dental care is okay, no health problems. The ONLY thing that has worked for him is prescription mouthwash containing chlorhexadine. Thank God. I’m wondering if he doesn’t have something like this lurking in the back of his throat. As long as we can keep a prescription for the mouthwash, he seems to be doing okay. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonsil-stones-not-for-the-squeemish/603728/26 "2011-11-22T20:17:39Z")
If you got this far and want to break the TMI barrier, I give you [PopThatZit.com](http://PopThatZit.com), the tonsil stone subcategory. [http://www.popthatzit.com/category/tonsil-stones/](http://www.popthatzit.com/category/tonsil-stones/) ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonsil-stones-not-for-the-squeemish/603728/27 "2011-11-22T20:34:59Z")
I used to have cryptic tonsils as a kid, but they sort of went away by themselves. At the time, I used to poke at them with a finger. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonsil-stones-not-for-the-squeemish/603728/28 "2011-11-22T20:42:07Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > I used to have cryptic tonsils as a kid As Dave Barry would say, “Cryptic Tonsils” would be an **excellent** name for a rock band. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonsil-stones-not-for-the-squeemish/603728/29 "2011-11-22T20:42:30Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > Someone please answer this question because I’m paranoid as well and too chicken to look at the link in the first post since it sounds so nasty. > > I have occasional bouts of tonsillitis but I have never heard of anything like this. If you look in the mirror with a flashlight at the back of your throat, to the sides, and see what looks like pimples, you’ve got 'em. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonsil-stones-not-for-the-squeemish/603728/30 "2011-11-22T21:53:40Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > If you look in the mirror with a flashlight at the back of your throat, to the sides, and see what looks like pimples, you’ve got 'em. I think they look more like curds of cottage cheese (and apologize to anyone eating breakfast with THAT on their mind.) I use a bamboo skewer to purge mine. I have some crypts that are actually tunnels with an opening at both ends. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonsil-stones-not-for-the-squeemish/603728/31 "2011-11-22T23:28:59Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > If you look in the mirror with a flashlight at the back of your throat, to the sides, and see what looks like pimples, you’ve got 'em. > [@Turek](#): > > I think they look more like curds of cottage cheese (and apologize to anyone eating breakfast with THAT on their mind.) I hate to remind anyone at this point of Google Image Search, but there it is. ---
**Author:** ![Meyer6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@Meyer6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meyer6)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonsil-stones-not-for-the-squeemish/603728/32 "2011-11-22T23:42:48Z")
Ugh, I get these things now and then. I try to be vigilant and check my tonsils every once in a while so I can get them out while they’re small. I use a flashlight and a sort of flat metal stick - to be honest I have no idea what it’s original purpose was. I’m endlessly paranoid that I have bad breath because of them, but nobody has ever said so or done anything to suggest that’s the case. I used to regularly ask my mom because she is brutally honest with me about other stuff (“those pants make you look fat”, “that’s a terrible haircut”, etc). There is a kid in the class I teach who fairly regularly comes up to ask questions after class. He has incredibly awful breath, and I’m pretty sure the problem is tonsil stones. He’s a nice enough kid and looks well-groomed otherwise, but sweet mother of god talking to him is terrible. I feel bad for him but there’s no way I’m going to say anything about it - I hope someone close to him does though. ---
**Author:** ![SeaCanary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@SeaCanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaCanary)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonsil-stones-not-for-the-squeemish/603728/33 "2011-11-23T00:24:37Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > This instrument is handy for stone removal. I keep one in my bathroom for ready use. > > [Alligator forceps](http://www.dansdata.com/images/tools/alligator500.jpg) > [@Turek](#): > > I use a bamboo skewer to purge mine. > [@jjimm](#): > > Chopstick works for me. These solutions are lacking in that they don’t include the use of voodoo. Invoke Baron Samedi (or Bondye) while cursing at the little buggers and poking at them with your weapon of choice. This makes them feel even less welcome and therefore less likely to return. WARNING: **TMI ALERT** [spoiler]That’s how I got rid of my plantar warts except I used a swiss army knife. And voodoo. [/spoiler] YMMV ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2016, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonsil-stones-not-for-the-squeemish/603728/38 "2016-12-29T05:10:40Z")
> [@rclinard](#): > > Here is a natural and permanent solution to tonsil stones: > > There is a Natural and Permanent Cure for Tonsil Stones! Find it here at Goodbye Tonsil Stones com and this is the path to True Health! > > [http://www.goodbyetonsilstones.com/](http://www.goodbyetonsilstones.com/) Sorry but no. There is no permanent or natural cure for tonsil stones. I used to get them occasionally and they are some of the most foul smelling things you will ever encounter. It is possible to dislodge them with a pencil eraser but it isn’t easy and usually takes many attempts over the course of days. The only real cure is a tonsillectomy which I had but it is a much more serious surgery for adults than it is for kids. ---
**Author:** ![Vicsage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e68b1a/32.png) [@Vicsage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vicsage)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2016, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonsil-stones-not-for-the-squeemish/603728/39 "2016-12-29T05:26:19Z")
Is there nothing in the human body that can’t produce stones? Tonsils, Kidney, gallbladder, prostate, liver, spleen, bladder, pancreas and testes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonsil-stones-not-for-the-squeemish/603728.md?page=1)