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Have you ever suffered from tonsil stones or heard of them? They do sound very scary, but they are harmless and may be treated easily. Tonsil stones or tonsilliths or tonsilloliths result from the buildup of debris and bacteria in the crypts of tonsils of some people. There’re three types of tonsils namely palatine (on the sides of the throat), pharyngeal (at the back of the throat), and lingual (at the base or back of the tongue). When left untreated, this problem can cause sore throat, ear pain, bad breath, and difficulty swallowing. Today, we, Effective Remedies will show you the most effective home remedies for tonsil stones and bad breath in adults and children that work naturally without touching them physically.
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24 Effective Home Remedies For Tonsil Stones & Bad Breath In Adults & Children
I. Home Remedies For Tonsil Stones In Adults And Children
There are lots of medicines for the treatment of tonsil stones. However, you can manage this condition quickly at home with natural ingredients. Home remedies not only help manage symptoms but also fight the infection.
A. Home Remedies For Tonsil Stones In Adults
1. Home Remedies For Tonsil Stones – Garlic
How Does It Work
A study has indicated that garlic contains antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties, which may battle bacterial growth and infection. These properties also treat some health problems including tonsil stones. Along with that, it helps to eliminate any bacteria causing the solidification of different materials in your tonsils.
What You Need
- Garlic cloves – a few
How To Do
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Just pick up the garlic cloves and chew on them several times daily. You can repeat this simple way daily until you notice no more stones in the tonsils.
Side Effects Of Garlic
Eating raw garlic bulbs in excess quantities may cause vomiting and even heartburn.
2. Home Remedies For Tonsil Stones – Lemon
How Does It Work
Due to its antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory abilities, lemon is ideal for fighting the infection and inflammation. Besides, it is abundant in vitamin C so that it helps to battle tonsil stones and enhance the resistance of the human body to infections.
Method 1
What You Need
- Fresh lemon juice – a few tablespoons
- Warm water – 1 cup
- Salt – a pinch
- Honey – one teaspoon
How To Do
Combine the lemon juice with warm water. Add the honey and salt to it. After that, drink this mixture and swirl it around your mouth for at least one minute before swallowing it. You should repeat this remedy one to twice every day to notice the best results.
Method 2
What You Need
- Salt
- Pepper
- A lemon slice
How To Do
Sprinkle some pepper and salt on the lemon slice and suck on this lemon slice. It’ll aid in forcing the phlegm out of the throat. Try this method twice or thrice per day for a couple of days.
Side Effects Of Lemon
The acidic of lemon juice irritates the lining of the stomach and esophagus, which brings on a bout of acid reflux or heartburn.
3. Home Remedies For Tonsil Stones – Apple Cider Vinegar
How Does It Work
Apple cider vinegar contains anti-inflammatory qualities, which decreases the infection caused due to the stones, thereby dealing with the damage caused by the accumulated bacteria and the tonsil stones. Plus, the high pH levels of ACV can be helpful for breaking up the mucus and phlegm present in your throat. It gradually thins the phlegm and thereby handles the post nasal drip that is the root cause of the formation of tonsil stones.
What You Need
- Apple cider vinegar – one tablespoon
- Water – 1 cup
How To Do
Dilute the water with the ACV and then, gargle with this mixture every morning & nice after your brush your teeth.
Side Effects Of Apple Cider Vinegar
The acetic acid housed in ACV can weaken dental enamel and cause tooth decay & loss of minerals.
4. Home Remedies For Tonsil Stones – Onions
How Does It Work
Onions can assist you in removing the tonsil stones because they come with potent anti-bacterial agents. Additionally, it is ideal for promoting oral health and preventing a number of oral ailments such as cavities, gingivitis, and periodontal disease.
What You Need
- Raw onions – 3
How To Do
Take the raw onions and eat them every day. This tip will be helpful in uprooting the tonsil stones and eliminating the microscopic organisms causing them. Try this method daily until you see the tonsil stones are disappeared.
Side Effects Of Onions
Onions contain pungent sulfur compounds, which may cause bad body odor from bad breath to bad smelling sweat.
5. Home Remedies For Tonsil Stones – Fresh Carrots
How Does It Work
As we know, carrots are chock-full of beta-carotene so that they are synonymous with excellent eyesight. However, did you know that chewing a raw carrot is useful for you if you have tonsil stones? The action of chewing enhances the saliva production that helps flush bacteria out of the mouth. As a result, increased saliva production will help with fast recovery from tonsil stones.
What You Need
- Raw carrots – 3
How To Do
Just eat the carrots on a regular basis. Follow this way regularly to fight off the problem of tonsil stones.
Precautions
According to many studies, carrot can change the flavor of breast milk. Thus, breastfeeding women should avoid consuming carrot juice in excess.
6. Home Remedies For Tonsil Stones – Essential Oils
How Does It Work
Essential oils embrace healing properties, which include anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and soothing traits. The oils can enhance the process of recovery from tonsil stones when added to your daily brushing routine. For this purpose, you may use myrrh or lemongrass essential oils.
What You Need
- Any essential oil of your choice (lemongrass or myrrh)
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrush
- Warm water
How To Do
Firstly, put a pea-sized quantity of the daily toothpaste on the brush and later add several drops of any essential oil of your choice to it. After that, brush as normal. Spit and use warm water to rinse your mouth. Redo this process thrice every day.
Precautions
Avoid swallowing this mixture since the oil may lead to irritation of the internal organs.
7. Home Remedies For Tonsil Stones – Carom Seeds
How Does It Work
The nutritional value present in carom seeds is beneficial for combating symptoms of tonsil stones. They can fight off the infection by boosting the immunity since they are flooded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
What You Need
- Carom seeds – ¼ teaspoon
- Turmeric powder – 1 pinch
- Warm milk – 1 cup
How To Do
Heat the carom seeds in a pan until they are brown. Add the prepared turmeric powder to the pan and stir for several seconds. Add the warm milk to the mixture and mix well. After that, remove from heat and have this drink while it’s still warm. For quick results, drink it twice every day for 2-3 days.
Side Effects Of Carom Seeds
Overconsumption of carom seeds may cause several adverse effects including stomach ulcer, heartburns, dizziness, nausea, and heart diseases.
B. Home Remedies For Tonsil Stones In Children
You can easily treat tonsil stones at home if your child suffers from them. There are multiple home remedies that can treat tonsil stones in children. These treatments use natural ingredients that are likely safe for your little one. Here we have listed some of the most excellent home remedies for tonsil stones removal in children. However, before using any of them, ensure that your child is not allergic to the ingredients.
1. Home Remedies For Tonsil Stones – Salt Water Gargle
How Does It Work
Gargling with a bit of salt and lukewarm water is an ideal way to soothe the throat of your child. It not only relieves the pain but also kills the germs causing the infection. In addition to this, it can reduce the inflammation.
What You Need
- Water
- Salt – one teaspoon
How To Do
Warm a little water in a pan and add the salt into it. Leave your child to gargle with the warm salty water. Don’t swallow it and after gargling, spit the water out. Repeat this remedy regularly for the speedy recovery.
Precautions
Ensure the salt has completely dissolved before gargling because undissolved grains of salt may grate against the lining of the throat and lead to more pain instead of relieving it.
2. Home Remedies For Tonsil Stones – Basil Leaf Juice
How Does It Work
Basil leaves have been used for its anti-inflammatory effects for many generations. It is enriched with anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties so that it helps to heal the tonsils of your child faster. Along with that, the healing and soothing qualities housed in it will help calm swelling and pain and boost the healing process.
What You Need
- Drinking water – 1 cup
- Basil leaves – a few
- Honey
How To Do
The first step is adding the basil leaves to the drinking water and boiling it for roughly 10 minutes. The next step is straining the boiled water into one cup and adding some honey and fresh lemon juice to it. Then, let your little one consume this herbal tea twice to thrice a day. Honey can help to soothe your child’s throat owing to its anti-inflammatory properties while lemon helps to strengthen your child’s immunity due to its high vitamin C content.
Side Effects Of Basil
Basil is possibly safe in food amounts for children. But larger medicinal quantities are likely unsafe because it consists of a chemical, estragole, which may cause liver cancer.
3. Home Remedies For Tonsil Stones – Turmeric
How Does It Work
Turmeric embraces antiseptic and anti-inflammatory qualities, which all work wonders in battling tonsil stones and relieving irritating symptoms.
Method 1
What You Need
- Turmeric powder – one teaspoon
- Salt water or hot water – a glass
How To Do
Add the turmeric powder to the hot or salt water. Allow your child to gargle with this resultant mixture a few times per day. It’ll help remove the soreness and inflammation.
Method 2
What You Need
- Turmeric powder – one teaspoon
- Pepper – 1 pinch
- Warm milk – 1 glass
How To Do
Pick up the pepper and turmeric powder and add them to the warm milk. Let your child consume this mixture before sleeping.
Side Effects Of Turmeric
People with turmeric sensitivity may have mild diarrhea or stomach upset. Turmeric doesn’t cause significant side effects, but some people can undergo stomach upset, dizziness, nausea, or diarrhea.
4. Home Remedies For Tonsil Stones – Cinnamon
How Does It Work
You can use cinnamon to cope with tonsil stones in your child. It is full of antimicrobial properties, which help prevent the development and growth of bacteria in the tonsils. Also, it is excellent for lowering pain, swelling, and inflammation.
What You Need
- Cinnamon powder – one teaspoon
- Honey – two teaspoons
- Hot water – 1 glass
How To Do
Add the cinnamon powder to the hot water at first and later mix in the honey. Leave your little one to drink it. Consume this mixture two or three times per day for about seven days.
Side Effects Of Cinnamon
Heavy use of cinnamon can irritate the lips or mouth, causing sores. It can lead to an allergic reaction in some people. Also, it might cause irritation and redness when applied to the skin.
5. Home Remedies For Tonsil Stones – Slippery Elm
How Does It Work
Slippery elm possesses a gel-like substance known as mucilage that is effective in reducing inflammation, pain, and soreness caused by tonsil stones. When taken internally, it can help heal your child’s mucous membrane in the throat. Also, it assists in healing the inflamed tissues in the throat of your kid.
Method 1
What You Need
- Water – 2 cups
- Slippery elm bark – one teaspoon
How To Do
Bring the water to boil and add the slippery elm bark to the boiling water. Allow the barks to steep in it for several minutes and strain it. Afterward, make your child consume this brew while it’s still warm. Drink it two times daily for several days.
Method 2
What You Need
- Slippery elm bark powder – three teaspoons
- Honey – two teaspoons
- Warm water – four teaspoons
- Cayenne pepper powder – one teaspoon
How To Do
Just mix the above components well and take a teaspoon of this mixture. Make your child drink it at regular intervals for 2-3 days. This remedy will provide you with instant relief from the tonsil stone symptoms.
Side Effects Of Slippery Elm
Slippery elm is possibly safe when taken by mouth for most people. Don’t use slippery elm if you’re breastfeeding or pregnant.
6. Home Remedies For Tonsil Stones – Fenugreek Seeds
How Does It Work
Fenugreek seeds comprise antibacterial powers, which have been used to treat tonsil stones. It can destroy the bacteria contributing to tonsil stones. Apart from that, the anti-inflammatory properties found in fenugreek will give children instant relief from inflammation and pain.
What You Need
- Fenugreek seeds
- Water
How To Do
Bring some water to boil and some quantity of fenugreek seeds to it. After around 5 minutes, train the water. After that, make your little one gargle with the water when it’s lukewarm. Finally, spit it out and repeat this treatment twice every day until the infection goes away.
Side Effects Of Fenugreek Seeds
Fenugreek is likely safe in children when taken by mouth. However, some reports showed that fenugreek tea could cause loss of consciousness in kids.
7. Home Remedies For Tonsil Stones – Figs
How Does It Work
Like slippery elm, figs consist of a high content of mucilage, which is useful for fighting off tonsil stones in children. Besides, figs work well on calming soreness and pain caused by tonsil stones. Apart from that, they help to soothe your child’s sore throat.
What You Need
- Figs – 4
- Honey
How To Do
Boil the figs at first and later mash them to create a fine paste. Then, add a little honey to this paste for taste. Afterward, make your little one ea this paste about thrice a day.
Side Effects Of Figs
Overeating of figs may be cause stomach ache. Drinking cold water after taking figs can help with stomach-related problems.
8. Home Remedies For Tonsil Stones – Mint
How Does It Work
Mint has antimicrobial powers so that it can effectively battle viruses and bacteria causing tonsil stones. Also, thanks to its menthol, mint is effective for soothing the irritated mucus membranes and banishing bad odor that occurs due to tonsil stones.
What You Need
- Fresh mint leaves
- Honey
How To Do
Boil some fresh mint leaves in water and strain the tea into a cup. Add a little honey to sweeten. After that, let your child consume this herbal tea a few times a day. Continue to let her or him have this wonderful tea till the symptoms go away.
Precautions
Don’t apply the oil of mint to the face of a small child or infant, as it may lead to spasms that inhibit breathing.
9. Home Remedies For Tonsil Stones – Ginger
How Does It Work
Ginger has been used as a home remedy for many years to cure tonsil stones and other ailments such as colds and coughs thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antibiotic properties. Ginger tea is helpful for relieving the soreness and pain in your child’s throat. Also, it assists in killing the bacteria contributing to the problems.
What You Need
- Water
- Tea leaves
- Freshly sliced or grated ginger
- Honey
How To Do
Boil some water and add some tea leaves to it. Allow it to steep for a few minutes and add the sliced or grated ginger to it. After that, boil for several minutes and strain the tea. Add some honey to this tea to sweeten. Let your child drink this ginger tea a few times a day.
Side Effects Of Ginger
Ginger is thought to be likely safe when appropriately taken by mouth. Some people may experience mild side effects such as heartburn, and diarrhea.
II. Home Remedies For Tonsil Stones – Must-Know Tips
1. Scraping
Use a warm saline solution to wet the tonsil area. Then, use a tongue scraper or toothbrush to fade away the stones that appear at the surface. Don’t scrape or press too hard because this will lead to the spread of bacteria in your mouth. After that, pick up a soothing antiseptic and apply it on the tonsil region to clean it and remove remaining bacteria.
2. Use A Cotton Swab
If you are looking for the easy ways of removing the tonsil stones, then use a cotton swab. Firstly, immerse the cotton swab in water to make it comfortable for the gums and later apply a tiny amount of pressure on the lower part of the tonsils to help push out the stones. After that, gargle to remove smaller debris, but when poking the tonsils, be careful since you can hurt yourself.
3. Use Your Fingers
Using your fingers is one of the most basic treatments for tonsil stones. For this remedy, you need to wash your hands with mild soap under warm, running water. Then, clean your fingers carefully, particularly under the nails. After that, poke the lower portion of your tonsils to push out the stones slowly. Be careful since rushing it may lead to unnecessary pain. After taking out the stones, you gargle with warm water combined with salt to eliminate smaller debris. Finally, rewash your hands.
4. Drink Plenty Of Water
Drink enough amounts of water daily to keep the mouth moist. Consuming a minimum of 8 glasses of water per day is helpful for your organism since it helps to eliminate the toxins from your body. It additionally assists you in flushing your tonsils out of the unwanted debris. Tonsils are an important part of our immunity so drinking pure water to keep them clean.
5. Drink Yogurt
The probiotics in yogurt can fight off various bacteria since they function as a protective layer. Thus, drinking yogurt can aid you in removing tonsil stones and preventing further development of tonsils. You should select a natural yogurt that is unsweetened. You can add some fresh fruits such as blackberries or strawberries to it.
III. Home Remedies For Tonsil Stones – How To Prevent From Recurring
Eating healthy foods or practicing healthy oral hygiene can help you to prevent tonsil stones. Below are other tips to inhibit tonsil stones:
1. Brush Your Teeth Regularly
Brushing your teeth after every meal, in the morning, and before bedtime is beneficial for preventing tonsil stones. It’ll be helpful in fading away bacteria and food particles that can collect in nooks and crannies of your tonsils.
2. Improve Your Nasal Health
Post-nasal drips, head colds, and nasal allergies can result in the accumulation of mucus in the back of the throat. Mucus can lead to the tonsil stone development. If you regularly suffer from troubles with nasal allergies, try to lower your exposure to pollen by spending more time indoors and closing windows during allergy season.
3. Gargle With Mouthwash Without Containing Alcohol
Mouthwashes containing alcohol can cause dry mouth that increases the risk of tonsil stones and bacteria buildup. Opt for a brand without alcohol and use it a minimum of once a day. You can also gargle with a salt & warm water rinse. It can help calm any discomfort caused by tonsil stones.
4. Have A Healthy & Balanced Diet
A well-balanced diet containing the right minerals, vitamins, and probiotics can assist you in getting rid of tonsil stones. You should limit your intake of sugar and dairy products. Eating too many sugary foods can increase bacteria, tartar, and plaque buildup. Besides, dairy products promote the growth of oral bacteria, so brush your teeth after consuming milk or drinking other dairy products.
5. Home Remedies For Tonsil Stones – Other Additional Tips
- Avoid alcohol and smoking because these habits can cause dryness in the mouth that can lead to bacteria and food particles to become stuck there.
- Floss daily since it can help remove dead cells and particles between your teeth, which a toothbrush will not be able to reach.
- Reduce your intake of calcium-rich foods since overconsumption of calcium can result in calcium deposits to form in the tonsils that harden into stones.
- Avoid taking coffee because the presence of caffeine makes it release huge amounts of mucus in a person’s body. Consequently, it causes the tonsil stones and post nasal drip.
- Avoid consuming too many egg yolks per week since they can result in excess phlegm and mucus, causing tonsil stones.
- Change your toothbrush regularly because new toothbrushes are more useful in removing the debris attached to the mouth and hence terminate the growth of stones.
IV. Home Remedies For Tonsil Stones – FAQs
a. Are Tonsil Stones Contagious?
Yes, there is a possibility that microbes contributing to tonsil stones can be passed from one person to another through sneezing, kissing, and sharing toothbrushes. So, don’t do those activities to avoid spreading the condition to others.
b. Do Tonsil Stones Smell?
Yes, bad breath is one of the primary symptoms of tonsil stones. The stones comprise various substances such as bacteria, food particles, dead cells, mucus, and calcium that combine to release an undesirable odor.
c. How Can You Remove Tonsil Stones From You Mouth?
There are different methods to dislodge tonsil stones. Dissolving some salt in warm water and gargling with this mixture in your mouth is one of the most popular methods. A doctor can manually remove the stones if they are deeply lodged in the tonsil grooves.
d. How Can You Draw Out Tonsil Stones?
Apart from gargling, you can also remove tonsil stones with other ways such as coblation cryptolysis. If stones still last and all other choices have been exhausted, a doctor or health professional may determine to have your tonsils stones removed through tonsillectomy.
e. How Can You Clear Away Tonsil Stones At Home?
There are a few home remedies that can help you remove tonsil stones effectively. They include water pressure, apple cider vinegar, garlic, yogurt, etc.
You can use the home remedies together with preventive tips or tricks mentioned above to treat tonsil stones at the earliest and inhibit further complication. If you and your loved ones are suffering from tonsil stones, don’t hesitate to share this post with them to help them combat this contagious condition. Also, let us know if you know other effective home remedies for tonsil stones and bad breath in adults and children that work naturally. We hope you found all the information in this article useful. All of the contents provided in this article are for informational & educational purposes. We recommend you consult a healthcare professional to determine which method is appropriate for you.
