Hi, I’m Dr. Greg Ritchie and I am a cosmetic dentist with a full-service practice in Marble Falls. Today in the Marble Falls Ritchie Dental Group blog we would like to address the subject of tonsil stones. The first thing that Burnet, Kingsland, and Meadowlakes dental patients usually ask about tonsil stones is, “What in the world are tonsil stones?”
Before we answer that, let’s review what the tonsils are. Your tonsils sit in the back of your throat. They are gland-like and there is one tonsil located in each pocket on either side of the back of your throat. Tonsils are made of the infection-fighting tissue known as lymphocytes, but tonsils aren’t really that great at their job of germ killing.
Tonsils have many areas where dead cells, mucous, and bacteria can become trapped. If this debris accumulates and becomes concentrated, white formations can occur in the pockets. Once it hardens, it becomes a tonsil stone.
It is rare for these tonsil stones to become large and cause problems, but if they do, you may experience the following symptoms:
Bad breath
Sore throat
Difficulty swallowing
Ear pain
Swelling of tonsils
It’s important to discuss treatment with your Marble Falls dentist or doctor. The only sure-fire way to avoid tonsil stones is to have the tonsils completely removed, but very few cases become this serious.
Thank you for visiting our dental blog. We’re passionate about the oral health of our Marble Falls area patients. We also want them to have the beautiful smiles that they desire, and that’s why we love to discuss with them the many cosmetic dentistry procedures available, such as teeth whitening, veneers, invisible braces, dental bonding, and dental implants.
For general, pediatric, or cosmetic dentistry, call 830-693-8833 today to schedule an appointment with us!
Dr. Greg Ritchie
Ritchie Dental Group
1000 Marble Heights Dr
Marble Falls, Texas
830-693-8833
https://www.ritchiedentalgroup.com/services.html
The following online article was used as source material for this blog:
“Tonsil Stones”, WebMD, http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/tonsil-stones-tonsilloliths-treatment-and-prevention, accessed on September 11, 2013
