# Tonsil stones: the horror continues **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 6, 2005, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonsil-stones-the-horror-continues/320328 "2005-09-06T13:04:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonsil-stones-the-horror-continues/320328/61 "2005-09-08T18:50:51Z")
No, the ones I’ve seem look like a curd in cottage cheese only slighty yellower and sometimes a bit rounder. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonsil-stones-the-horror-continues/320328/62 "2005-09-08T19:51:05Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > What, exactly, is the purpose of tonsils? I had mine out as a child and I don’t think I’ve missed out on anything (except, of course, the fun that is tonsil stones.) They help trap bacterai and other nasties thast may make their way down to the lungs if not caught. So, by not having tonsills, you are more prone to lung infections. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonsil-stones-the-horror-continues/320328/63 "2005-09-08T20:33:39Z")
I saw a picture of some tonsil stones in Scientific American a few years back; they were brownish and didn’t look like mine at all. I have noticed that the stones change color and shape drastically when exposed to the air for awhile though; I’m assuming that the ones I saw in the magazine had done that. ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonsil-stones-the-horror-continues/320328/64 "2005-09-08T20:37:00Z")
If you want to see gross, do an image search on google for “tonsillolith.” I’m sorry but the pictures are so repulsive I can’t open them again to copy the links. You’ll have to search yourself. The x-rays come from a medical journal article on a “giant tonsillolith.” Read at your own risk. There’s also a revolting picture in that link Lee provided earlier - 'round about Page 7 there’s a post from someone who provides the address for a Japanese Web page with some stomach-churning picture. Again, I am sorry not to provide direct links but those horrifying things have imprinted on my brain as it is and just thinking about them is making me very very ill. I have to go think of flowers of puppies or something equally pleasant right now. ---
**Author:** ![Q.N.Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/3da27b/32.png) [@Q.N.Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.N.Jones)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonsil-stones-the-horror-continues/320328/65 "2005-09-08T20:51:12Z")
> [@Jeep's Phoenix](#): > > I have noticed that the stones change color and shape drastically when exposed to the air for awhile though… Yes, I’ve noticed that they shrink up dramatically once they’re out in the air. The stone in my left tonsil is high up behind the tonsillar arch. It’s not going to budge anytime soon. ---
**Author:** ![beckwall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b487fb/32.png) [@beckwall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beckwall)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonsil-stones-the-horror-continues/320328/66 "2005-09-08T22:13:22Z")
> [@lee](#): > > [White Bumps In Throat (page 3 of 90) - ABC Homeopathy](http://www.abchomeopathy.com/forum2.php/2533/2) > > I’m pretty sure that is the same forum where I read about the black sludge in the tonsils. “Dr Philip Stemmer, a private dentist working at the Fresh Breath Centre” - the happiest place on earth! ---
**Author:** ![Elysian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c77e96/32.png) [@Elysian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elysian)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonsil-stones-the-horror-continues/320328/67 "2005-09-09T01:07:20Z")
[A better picture](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.nature.com/bdj/journal/v198/n5/images/4812116f1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.nature.com/bdj/journal/v198/n5/fig_tab/4812116f1.html&h=197&w=252&sz=40&tbnid=xwWEJGEviLQJ:&tbnh=82&tbnw=106&hl=en&start=3&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtonsillolith%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DG) ---
**Author:** ![Wolfgrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@Wolfgrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfgrrl)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonsil-stones-the-horror-continues/320328/68 "2005-09-09T01:21:04Z")
> [@Elysian](#): > > [A better picture](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.nature.com/bdj/journal/v198/n5/images/4812116f1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.nature.com/bdj/journal/v198/n5/fig_tab/4812116f1.html&h=197&w=252&sz=40&tbnid=xwWEJGEviLQJ:&tbnh=82&tbnw=106&hl=en&start=3&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtonsillolith%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DG) EEEWWW!!! Yep, that’s exactly what mine look like. ---
**Author:** ![Q.N.Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/3da27b/32.png) [@Q.N.Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.N.Jones)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonsil-stones-the-horror-continues/320328/69 "2005-09-09T01:41:30Z")
> [@Elysian](#): > > [A better picture](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.nature.com/bdj/journal/v198/n5/images/4812116f1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.nature.com/bdj/journal/v198/n5/fig_tab/4812116f1.html&h=197&w=252&sz=40&tbnid=xwWEJGEviLQJ:&tbnh=82&tbnw=106&hl=en&start=3&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtonsillolith%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DG) Disgusting but accurate. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tonsil-stones-the-horror-continues/320328.md?page=3)