Cryptic tonsillitis is a common condition where calcareous deposits form in the crevices of the tonsils, causing discomfort, bad breath, and infection. It can be treated with various methods, including removing the stones manually or surgically, but tonsillectomy is only used as a last resort.
Cryptic tonsillitis is a medical condition in which calcareous deposits, made up of calcium carbonate, form and harden in the crevices, or crypts, of the palatine tonsils located at the back of the throat. These deposits, called tonsilloliths, tonsil stones, or zots, can cause discomfort, a sore throat, and bad breath or bad breath. If small, however, they are often asymptomatic.
Cryptic tonsillitis affects children more than adults, but it’s a common ailment overall. Tonsilloliths are hard and white or yellow in appearance. They can be caused by dead white blood cells, fungal bacteria, food particles, excess saliva or mucus, or unfiltered smoke. They are usually diagnosed through inspection, sometimes through imaging techniques such as X-rays or computed tomography (CT) scans.
While cryptic tonsillitis often goes unnoticed, it can cause symptoms including a metallic or unpleasant taste in the back of the throat, bad breath, frequent coughing, choking or difficulty swallowing, ear pain, and infection. A 2007 medical study found that 75% of people with bad breath, but only 6% of those with normal breath, had cryptic tonsillitis. In rare cases, giant tonsilloliths can form, reaching a centimeter in diameter.
There are various treatments for this condition, depending on its severity. Tonsil stones can often be removed with the tongue or by tensing the throat or by stimulating the gag reflex, causing the tonsils to tense and expelling the stone. Drinking lots of water or club soda, brushing your teeth regularly, and gargling mouthwash can also help dissolve and remove tonsil stones. If small stones form deep within the tonsils, they are difficult to remove, but most of these do not cause serious symptoms and eventually work their way to the surface.
In severe cases, cryptic tonsillitis can be treated by surgically removing the tonsil stone with an oral curette, a thin scraping tool. Laser resurfacing, in which the surfaces of the tonsils are smoothed to remove the crypts, is an option for chronic cryptic tonsillitis. The most aggressive treatment, used only as a last resort, is tonsillectomy, or the surgical removal of the tonsils. Tonsillectomy can weaken a person’s immune system, so it is avoided whenever possible.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
