Tonsil stones
Small white lumps in the tonsils that can cause bad breath and a foreign-body feeling.
Overview
Tonsil stones (tonsilloliths) are small, pale lumps that form when debris, mucus and bacteria collect in the natural pits of the tonsils and harden. They are common, usually harmless, and often discovered when one is coughed up — or when persistent bad breath doesn't respond to brushing and flossing.
The sulphur-producing bacteria that live in tonsil stones are a genuinely under-recognised cause of halitosis. If your mouth is clean and healthy but the odour persists, the tonsils are one of the first places we consider.
Most stones dislodge on their own or with gentle salt-water gargling. Large, recurrent or symptomatic stones are worth discussing with your GP or an ENT specialist — never dig at your tonsils with sharp objects.
What to know
- Common and usually harmless
- A frequent hidden cause of persistent bad breath
- Feel like something is stuck in the throat, or visible as white spots on the tonsils
- Gentle salt-water gargles help them dislodge — never poke them with sharp objects
- Recurrent or troublesome stones are a GP/ENT conversation
