What are tonsil plugs?
There are small tears in the tonsil tissue. When in them clogged particles of food, bacteria, saliva or mucus, hard lumps form there – they are called plugs.
There are quite a lot of plugs in the tonsils common and rarely cause serious health problems. Many people live with them but don’t even know about it.
Take note ✍🏻
Who is more likely to have tonsil plugs?
Traffic jams can happen to anyone, but most often it happens to teenagers. In addition, there are several factors that influence on the frequency of occurrence of the problem:
- Chronic inflammation. With frequent infections, pockets, scars and thickenings form on the tonsils, where it is easier for bacteria to accumulate.
- Sinus problems increase the accumulation of mucus in the throat due to secretions from the respiratory tract.
- Large tonsils. They have more pits and crevices in which cells can collect.
- Poor hygiene. If oral care is not good enough, bacteria constantly interact with the tonsils.
- Smokingdue to which microbes accumulate on the tonsils.
How to understand that you have traffic jams
You can see the traffic jams. Look they appear as pus and white or yellow stones on one or both tonsils.
View photos of tonsil plugs
Hide photo
Other symptoms do not always occur. But you should be wary if you notice the following: symptoms:
- unpleasant odor and taste in the mouth, which may occur due to anaerobic bacteria Eubacterium, Fusobacterium, Porphyromonas;
- a sore throat;
- cough;
- Ear ache;
- difficulty swallowing;
- feeling as if something is stuck in the throat.
What can you do on your own if there are plugs in your tonsils?
There are a few waysthat you can try to remove traffic jams at home.
Gargle
This helps reduce swelling and discomfort and removes plugs. For rinsing you can use pharmaceutical sea water or on your own cook solution – mix a teaspoon of salt with a glass (250 ml) of warm boiled water.
Cough violently
Over time, the plugs become loose and fall out on their own. But a cough will help speed up process and knock them out of the tonsils. It’s okay if you accidentally swallow the lumps, it won’t harm you.
Try to wash away the plugs
Irrigate tonsils with a stream of water. To do this, you can use an irrigator or a special syringe with a curved tip.
Be careful, the pressure should be weak. If you overdo it, you can damage your tonsils.
Remove stones mechanically
For this take damp cotton swab and gently press it onto the tonsil behind the plug. You can also use a cotton swab and the back of a toothbrush. But don’t squeeze out force the plug and do not rub the tonsil too hard so as not to damage anything.
How can a doctor help?
Typically, tonsil plugs are harmless and, unless there are symptoms of infection, treatment is not required. But if the accumulations are large and in the way, or if you can’t remove them yourself, they may extract medical worker. To do this, he uses an irrigator or curette.
If necessary, the specialist will prescribe an antibiotic to treat the infection associated with tonsil stones.
You also need to see a doctor if the problem often returns or when there are symptoms of traffic jams, but they themselves are not visible. In this case, the problem may be something else and the specialist will be engaged in identifying the cause.
Do I need to have my tonsils removed to get rid of clots?
If the problem comes back frequently, your doctor may suggest tonsil removal. In this case there is more traffic jam will not arisebecause they will have nowhere to form.
Removal Tonsil stones may be helpful when stones have such a strong odor that they interfere with normal life activities, and yet do not go away after using home remedies and treating conditions that may have caused the odor.
But in most situations, such treatment cannot be considered appropriate, because with age, the tonsils become smaller, and stones form in them less frequently. In addition, these accumulations themselves are harmless, but the operation has side effects. effects: severe bleeding, tooth damage and neck pain.
More about tonsil removal ✍🏻
How to prevent traffic jams
It is not always possible to prevent the appearance of tonsil plugs. But there are things you can do to at least reduce the risk.
Maintain good oral hygiene
Here are the actions that will help reduce the number of bacteria in the mouth:
- Brush your teeth after meals, in the evening and in the morning.
- Clean your tongue gently.
- Use dental floss.
- Use alcohol-free mouthwash regularly.
- Visit your dentist for regular checkups and professional teeth cleanings.
Drink more
Drink plenty of fluids helps limit the accumulation of various particles in the mouth and also supports saliva production.
Quit smoking and alcohol
Because of these habits arises dry mouth, which may increase the risk of tonsil plugs.
Take care of yourself 🤒🌡️🤕