The human immune system has various organs responsible for rejecting, combating and eliminating antibodies that can cause infections in the body. One of them is the tonsils, those small masses of tissue that are found at the bottom of the throat. The tonsils stop pathogens in the mouth, preventing them from entering the rest of the body.
Since the tonsils help prevent a myriad of diseases and are one of the body's first lines of defense, they are prone to becoming infected and inflamed. The appearance of tonsilloliths in the tonsils is very common and can cause anything from bad breath to serious infections.
Why do you have to clean the tonsils?
The most common affections of the tonsils are tonsillitis and the appearance of tonsilloliths, although there is usually a general confusion between both terms. Tonsilloliths are white balls in the throat that accumulate due to mineral salts, while tonsillitis is the inflammation of the tonsils, mostly caused by a virus infection.
These white dots on the tonsils, also known as caseum, appear for various reasons. They can be due to poor oral hygiene (both brushing teeth and washing the tongue) or a deficiency in the salivary glands. These stones because several symptoms to take into account such as halitosis discomfort when swallowing, pain in the ears and throat.
To avoid both problems, it is very important to clean the tonsils regularly and maintain a good diet. Here are some general tips to prevent both diseases:
- Taking care of your diet will also take care of your throat : do not abuse acidic and fatty products.
- Visit the doctor immediately when you feel slight discomfort in the tonsils: if you let it go for a long time, the inflammation will increase and can lead to more serious ailments.
- Be very careful with the hygiene of the mouth, tongue and teeth: it is vital to eradicate viruses and bacteria that usually enter the mouth.
If you want to know more about How to avoid having angina, we recommend you visit our article about it where we expand all our advice.
How to clean the tonsils to avoid bad breath
There are many ways to maintain good tonsil hygiene. There are various home remedies to clean the tonsils , avoid halitosis and prevent infections. Discover how to clean tonsils naturally with some of the best options:
Rinse mouth with salt water
A salt water rinse is a good treatment to keep your tonsils healthy. To do it correctly you just have to take into account the following:
- Mix a little salt (a couple of tablespoons) with boiled water.
- Gargle morning, noon, and night to cleanse your tonsils.
- This will help you avoid infections and bad breath.
Rinse your mouth with apple cider vinegar
The acidity levels of apple cider vinegar help cleanse the glands and keep the bad smell out of your mouth. To use this natural remedy, just follow these steps:
- Mix half a glass of water with half a glass of apple cider vinegar
- Rinse your mouth well after eating and before brushing your teeth.
The link between tonsilloliths and bad breath has been the subject of study by researchers. A study published in the journal Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery [1] states that 3% of halitosis cases are due to tonsil stones. However, the publication highlights the need to carry out more research in order to more accurately establish a scientifically proven relationship.
On the other hand, a report from the Journal of Surgical Case Reports [2] ensures that the magnitude of tonsilloliths must be taken into account to know how to treat them, since their symptoms can vary in severity. Depending on the size of these stones, home remedies can be used to eradicate them in mild cases. On the contrary, in more serious cases, it will be necessary to opt for a medical treatment prescribed by a specialist.
How to clean infected tonsils
If your effort to take care of your tonsils has suffered some setback and they have finally become infected, there are other remedies to clean them and, consequently, cure them. Swabs, antibiotics and surgery are some of these solutions. However, it is very important that you visit your doctor before opting for any type of treatment, as infections are much more delicate to treat.
Clean tonsils with cotton swabs
If you want to know how to remove tonsilloliths, swabs are one of the most used methods. Some people use them to gently cleanse the tonsils. However, their use requires certain medical training to avoid worsening the problem when using them. We recommend that you consult a doctor before cleaning them on your own.
Antibiotic treatment
Tonsillitis requires antibiotics to immediately solve the difficulties that arise in swallowing food and liquids, but they should always be treatments under medical prescription. They usually have a maximum duration of 10 days.
If you want to clean tonsils with pus , keep in mind that it will be the doctor who must drain the pus accumulated in them. In addition, he will prescribe anti-inflammatory and antibiotics to treat the infection if there is one. You should not clean the pus with your hands or with cotton swabs, as it will continue to appear and could cause more serious injuries.
Surgery
Tonsillectomy is the most extreme treatment for infected tonsils. It is a procedure in which the tonsils are removed and it is performed due to the ineffectiveness of previous remedies and treatments to cure the infection.
Removing the tonsils is a delicate decision, as removing them has the consequence of weakening the immune system. For this reason, it should be the last solution and is reserved, above all, for cases of chronic tonsillitis or very serious infections.
If you suffer from angina or tonsillitis, you can relieve the pain and heal faster with these home remedies for tonsillitis.
