Two primary methods used in tonsil stones prevention combines good oral hygiene practices that include the right kind of toothpastes and mouthwashes with a diet that emphasizes fresh vegetables and fruits. Although a tonsillectomy is the only way to guarantee permanent elimination of tonsil stone formation, correcting harmful oral conditions caused by dry mouth syndrome, poor brushing and flossing habits and post nasal drip can substantially reduce formation of tonsil stones.
Non-Surgical Approaches to Tonsil Stones Prevention
Because tonsils stones are the calcified remains of mouth debris such as food particles, dead cells, and mucus collecting and solidifying in tonsillar crypts, decreasing the amount of oral detritus by brushing and flossing at least twice a day may reduce tonsil stone formation. Although proper brushing removes food residue and the damaging plaque biofilm that causes cavities and tooth decay, a toothbrush cannot fully reach in between teeth to dislodge debris and scrape away plaque.
Comprised of anaerobic bacteria, plaque will inevitably harden into something called tartar and/or calculus. The longer tartar and calculus are allowed to remain on teeth, the more difficult they become to remove by brushing. Tartar that accumulates in spaces where teeth meet the gums is directly responsible for gingivitis, a gum disease recognized by bleeding, swollen gums that eventually start to recede from the teeth.
Flossing in between teeth before brushing cleans these hard to reach areas of food particles and helps with preventing tonsil stones by reducing anaerobic bacterial activity. Tonsil stones also contain huge amounts of anaerobes that assist in the calcification process. Since anaerobic bacteria is one of the primary culprits behind chronically severe bad breath, eliminating protein-rich food sources for bad oral bacteria can potentially be a powerful tonsil stones prevention tool.
People who suffer from post nasal drip as a result of chronic allergies, sinusitis or other conditions that irritate and inflame nasal passages often experience more bouts with tonsil stones than others who still have their tonsils. Excess sinus drainage that drips into the back of the throat and thickens due to a dry mouth and insufficient saliva flow provides the perfect medium in which anaerobic bacteria feed, multiply and produce foul-smelling gases called volatile sulfur compounds. In the stagnant, airless environment of the throat’s anterior where bacteria remain undisturbed by normal oral hygiene practices, this concentration of VSCs will create terrible halitosis as well as contribute to the rapid formation of tonsil stones.
Some ways to combat post nasal drip mucus is to drink plenty of water each day and use nasal/sinus drops containing ingredients that kill anaerobic bacteria, freshen breath and relieve phlegm in the throat. Unfortunately, most brand name sinus drops, mouthwashes or gargles that say they eliminate halitosis do just the opposite by introducing ingredients into the mouth and throat that actually promote dry mouth and proliferation of bad oral bacteria. Ingredients like sodium laurel sulfate, alcohol and saccharine are all desiccants, substances that remove moisture from oral tissues and worsen dry mouth rather than
improve it. Manufacturers only include these ingredients in their toothpastes and mouthwashes to make them taste better and to add a “foaming” action in order to make consumers think the product is “effective”.
Scraping the tongue is another tonsil stones prevention practice that gets rid of excess anaerobic bacteria. That white, fuzzy coating seen on the tongue in the morning and when the mouth is dry indicates out of control bacterial growth. Just like the tonsils, the tongue’s surface ripples with tiny crevices called papillae in which anaerobes nestle, consume proteins and reproduce. Unless you scrape or brush this coating off the tongue, bacteria will continue breeding and emitting foul smelling volatile sulfur compounds.
Dairy products like cheese and milk contain tremendous amounts of protein that is the preferred food source of anaerobic bacteria. When bits of cheese and milk residue are allowed to remain in the mouth, bacterial growth accelerates and tonsil stone formation drastically increases. In addition, the high level of calcium in milk promotes mucus build-up and should be expressly avoided by people who suffer from post nasal drip.
Smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol also contribute to tonsil stones because of the dehydrating affect they have on oral tissues. Chronic oral dehydration frequently causes common disorder of the salivary glands called sialolithiasis, which inhibits saliva production when tiny, tonsil-stone like obstructions clog gland ducts leading to the mouth. Chronic dry mouth syndrome caused by allergies, sinusitis, poor dietary choices, medications and medical conditions like diabetes facilitate sialolithiasis by maintaining an abnormally low moisture content in the mouth.
Grapefruit Seed Extract as Tonsil Stones Prevention?
Herbalists and practitioners of natural medicine claim that grapefruit seed extract contains antibacterial and antifungal properties that is also capable of neutralizing acidic oral conditions. Gargling with diluted grapefruit seed extract is supposed to help de-calcify existing stones so that removal is expedited in addition to preventing them from forming again. However, some research concerning grapefruit seeds suggests that using this extract for extended periods may cause toxic reactions that blocks intestinal enzyme activity and amplifies the effects of medication.
Oral Hygiene Products to Eliminate Tonsil Stones
Only TheraBreath oral hygiene products contain ingredients that are essential to preventing tonsils stones as well as providing beneficial oxygenating agents that increase saliva flow and eliminate anaerobic bacteria. With ingredients such as glycerin, xylitol, sodium bicarbonate and OXYD-8, all of which directly contribute to optimal oral health, TheraBreath’s toothpastes, mouthwashes, rinses and nasal-sinus drops are scientifically proven to annihilate destructive anaerobic bacteria, break apart post nasal drip mucus and put an end to bad breath and tonsil stones.
Known as the “Bad Breath Guru of Beverly Hills”, TheraBreath’s creator Dr. Harold Katz developed these unique products that provide a powerful chlorine dioxide formula that not only stops tonsil stones but also attacks bad breath, tooth decay and gum disease. Dr. Katz exclusive OXYD-8 compound is protected by over 15 international and U.S. patents and is found only in TheraBreath oral hygiene products. As a dynamic antidote to the problem of anaerobic bacteria, OXYD-8 enriches the mouth with molecules containing oxygen, the arch enemy of anaerobes, while stimulating saliva flow capable of keeping the mouth cleansed and free of debris responsible for tonsil stones.