Tonsil stones are caused when dead cells, mucous and bacteria collect in the tonsil crypts, small pockets in the tonsils that trap and retain debris. Over time, this debris calcifies, or hardens, into tiny stone-like objects that are usually white, off-white, or yellowish-white in color.

Many people who have tonsil stones can actually see these white objects when they grow large enough to protrude from the tonsil pockets. Other symptoms include a feeling of something being trapped in the back of the throat, swelling of the tonsils, a sore throat, trouble swallowing, and even ear pain caused by the fact that the tonsils and ears share neural pathways leading to the brain.

The most common symptom of tonsil stones – and the one that sufferers complain about the most – is persistent and very serious bad breath. This is caused when cellular debris and mucous begin to putrefy, a process caused in part by the presence of anaerobic bacteria that thrive in the kind of low-oxygen environment that’s typical of the tonsil crypts. These bacteria produce metabolic byproducts that contain a strong concentration of sulfur-based compounds that smell like rotting eggs or unwashed socks.

Treatments for the stones range from salt-water gargles to antibiotics to surgical removal of the tonsil stones. Another approach that has met with considerable success at the California Breath Clinics uses oxygenating mouthwashes or rinses to counteract bacteria and a nasal sinus spray to stop post-nasal drip and dry up the flow of mucous into the tonsils. To see if this approach works for you, try this tonsil stones starter kit from TheraBreath.

Tonsil stones, or tonsilloliths, are caused when anaerobic bacteria and other debris, including dead white blood cells and mucous from post-nasal drip, accumulate in the tonsils in tiny pockets called the tonsillar crypts, where they build tiny, calcified stone-like objects. Tonsil stones are usually off-white or cream in color and while usually small, can reach the size of a peppercorn.

While people who have tonsil stones often complain about the sensation of having a foreign body trapped in the rear of the throat, the most common complaint associated with tonsil stones is that of chronic bad breath. This bad breath is caused by volatile sulfur compounds like hydrogen sulfide and methyl mercaptan, which are produced by the anaerobic bacteria in the oral cavity. These compounds typically produce a strong odor reminiscent of rotting eggs or old, unwashed socks.

Because these anaerobic bacteria thrive in an oxygen-poor environment, targeting these anaerobic bacteria is one of the most effective treatment methods for tonsil stones and the odor they cause. The use of an oxygenating rinse or oxygenating spray usually neutralizes these anaerobic sulfur-producing bacteria on contact. Nasal sinus drops can also eliminate the mucous caused by post nasal drip, eliminating a food source for the bacteria as well as the mucous that contributes to the formation of the stones.

BreathAuthority.com recommends this Tonsil Stones Starter Kit as an effective way to combat tonsil stones and the bad breath they cause. The kit contains oxygenating tablets and an oxygenating rinse that neutralize anaerobic bacteria in the mouth and tongue, as well as a nasal sinus spray that is effective against post-nasal drip.

According to an article by Dr. Harold Katz, founder of the California Breath Clinics, clinical tests conducted at his Clinics in Los Angeles and San Francisco resulted in a significant reduction or complete elimination of tonsil stones in patients following the Starter Kit treatment regimen.

White spots on tonsils are a common complaint and can have a variety of causes, including tonsil stones, tonsillitis and even a strep infection.

Tonsil stones usually present as tiny, hard stone-like objects that are white or yellow-white in color. They form in the tonsil crypts, small pocket-like structures in the tonsils that collect bacteria, dead cells, food particles and mucus caused by post nasal drip. As they grow in size and protrude from the tonsil crypts, they can easily look like white spots on the tonsils.

No one is absolutely sure how many people suffer from tonsil stones. A recent article in the New York Times cited a 2007 French study in which approximately six percent of study participants had tonsil stones. Dr. Harold Katz, a Los Angeles dentist who specializes in bad breath and taste disorders, thinks the percentage of adults with tonsil stones is significantly higher because the number of tonsillectomies performed has dropped sharply since the 1950s and 1960s, when the operation was almost a rite of passage for America’s youth.

One sure way to stop tonsil stones is a tonsillectomy, which also typically puts an end to chronic tonsillitis and other bacteria or viral-based infections of the tonsils. Most doctors are cautious about removing the tonsils of adults solely for the purpose of stopping tonsil stones. However, most patients who have the stones are anxious or even desperate for a remedy because the stones have an extremely disagreeable odor.

In cases like these, vigorous gargling with a non-alcoholic mouthwash or the use of an oral irrigator (such as a Waterpik) can dislodge and clear the stones from the oral cavity. According to Dr. Katz, an oxygenating oral rinse can also be used to kill odor-causing anaerobic bacteria in the mouth, while a nasal sinus spray will curb the post nasal drip that is the source of mucus in the tonsil crypts. Products like these are part of a tonsil stones starter kit sold at Therabreath.com.

While tonsil stones are a common cause of white spots on the tonsils, chronic tonsillitis and strep infections can also cause white spots on the tonsils and in other places in the oral cavity. If in doubt, be sure to consult a doctor or ENT, especially if you have a fever, about those white spots on your tonsils.

The Valentine’s Day kiss is not only one of the great romantic events of the year, it’s also a popular subject with philematologists, those scientific folks who study – of all things – kissing.

Our reasons for kissing are many, say the scientists, but most important is the role our sense of taste and smell play in the kissing process. Both the lips and tongue are saturated with nerve endings that heighten the sensation of being in love that comes with a kiss.

Smell is important, too, because it’s how we sniff out the right partner. How a person smells when we kiss is often the most important deciding factor in determining if you will ever get  – or want – to kiss the same person again.

Bad breath is probably the biggest turn off during a passionate Valentine’s Day kiss. Bad breath smells so bad because of a variety of chemicals produced by bacteria that live in the oral cavity, particularly in the surface of the tongue. These chemicals include hydrogen sulfide, cadaverine and -  perhaps the most putrescent of all – good old putrescine.

Fortunately, keeping bad breath to a minimum is easy if you follow these six easy tips:

1. Saliva is nature’s mouthwash. A dry mouth is a smelly mouth. Make sure to drink plenty of water to keep the drool flowing. When your mouth makes less germ-killing saliva, germs flourish and your breath gets worse. So drink plenty of fluids to naturally clean your breath.

2. Take your time. Brush for 2 minutes with a soft nylon bristled toothbrush. Rinse for 90 seconds. The active ingredients in mouthwash and toothpaste need time to be effective. And, if you happen to use an alcohol based mouthwash, before you panic about how much rinsing for 90 seconds can burn…

3. Don’t use an alcohol based mouthwash that burns. Recent studies have associated all sorts of serious long term health problems with mouthwash that contains alcohol. A recent study published in the Dental Journal of Australia said alcohol based mouthwashes “can cause oral cancer and should be removed from supermarket shelves.” While testing in the US has not been as conclusive, one thing we do know is that alcohol in mouthwash definitely reduces saliva production. If you refer to tip #1 you will know this is bad. Less saliva means more halitosis. Look for oral rinse that is alcohol free and uses methods like oxygenation to kill germs without serious side effects, like TheraBreath or TheraBreath PLUS.

4. Make sure to floss every day. The stuff in between your teeth smells very unpleasant. Don’t believe me? Go grab some floss, use it between a couple of your front teeth, then smell it. Go ahead – I will wait…
If you haven’t been flossing regularly I am sure you will agree that it is not an extremely pleasant smell. Oral bacteria create smelly odors by breaking down proteins in food particles – the stuff in between your teeth is like a gourmet feast for germs. Make sure you floss between every tooth and then vigorously rinse with a good oral rinse to wash all that gunk out.

5. Brush your tongue. With your toothbrush. Doing it with your hairbrush is gross. Germs live in the crevices of your tongue. The white or yellow coating that sometimes forms on your there is their collected waste. That bacteria waste is sulfurous and extremely stinky. Brush that stuff off before it makes your mouth extremely unpleasant to be around.

6. Skip sugary mints. They can cover bad breath for a few minutes but ultimately just feed the germs that produce odor. If you want a little breath pick me up try gum with Xylitol (like TheraBreath French Kiss Gum). Gum tends to increase saliva flow and the chewing can help to clean between teeth.

Follow these steps diligently for the next few days and your mouth should be in absolutely top-notch kissing shape kissing shape by February 14th. Make your Valentine’s Day Kiss the best one ever!

Tonsil stones, the small globs of mucus, dead cells and other oral debris that collect in the tonsillar crypts, have hit the mainstream media. An article authored by Elizabeth Svoboda and first published in the New York Times on August 31, 2009, examines the causes and consequences of the stones, including their propensity for causing particularly offensive bad breath when anaerobic bacteria in the oral cavity feed on the stones and release foul-smelling sulfur compounds as byproducts.

Tonsil stones are apparently common, but no one knows for sure how many people suffer from them worldwide. According to a 2007 French study cited by Svoboda in her article, roughly six percent of participants had calcified stones. Dr. Harald Katz, a dentist in Los Angeles and the author of the Bad Breath Bible, suspects the incidence of tonsil stones in the adult population to be much higher, in large part because the number of tonsillectomies performed has declined significantly since the operation’s heyday in the 1950s and 1960s.

While a tonsillectomy almost always puts a permanent stop to tonsil stones, most doctors view surgery to remove the tonsils as a last resort solution for most adults. Gargling with a non-alcoholic mouthwash and using a Waterpik or other oral irrigator to remove the stones are frequently recommended therapies. Katz also recommends the use of an oxygenating oral rinse to kill anaerobic bacteria in the mouth, along with a nasal sinus spray to reduce the post nasal drip that feeds mucus to the tonsil crypts. He bundles the products in a tonsil stones starter kit sold at his website, Therabreath.com.

The full text of Svoboda’s article, “In Tonsils, a Problem the Size of a Pea”, is available here.

Treating tonsil stones is essentially a two-step process. In the first step, the tonsil stones are removed from the tonsil crypts, the pocket-like areas in the tonsils where bacteria, food particles and post-nasal drip collect and ultimately lead to the formation of stones.

Besides bad breath, the sensation of having a foreign body stuck in the back of the throat is for many people one of the most maddening symptoms of tonsil stones. Once the stones are removed, there are effective therapies (Step 2 of the treatment process) to prevent the return of tonsil stones.

But where does one start?

Coughing or massaging the throat area under the lower jaw and near the back of the throat can frequently dislodge tonsil stones. If your tonsil crypts are too deep for this method to work, you may need to try dislodging the stones using your finger (wash your hands thoroughly), a toothbrush or cotton swab. These can be used to massage the tonsils and push the stone out of the crypt.

If you have a particularly strong gag reflex, inserting a toothbrush or swab so far back in the mouth may be uncomfortable. An option in this case is to use an oral irrigator. An oral irrigator shoots a thin, pulsed stream of water that can be used to massage gums, clean between the teeth (an alternative to flossing), or to irrigate the tonsil crypts and dislodge tonsil stones.

Oral irrigators can eject a stream of water that is under considerable pressure, so be sure to start on the lowest setting and work up from there as needed if you intend using the irrigator to clear your tonsil stones.

Oral irrigators can be purchased in drug stores or Big Box stores like Wal-Mart. Popular brands like Waterpik and QuickBreeze are also available from Amazon and other well-known online retailers.

If push comes to shove, you may find you’re unable to remove your existing tonsil stones without the help of a healthcare professional. In this case, consider a visit to your dentist or Ear, Nose and Throat specialist (ENT).

If you’ve ever coughed up a tonsil stone or accidentally bit down on a tonsillolith, you already know that tonsil stones smell horribly. But why?

The main culprits are anaerobic bacteria that thrive in oxygen-poor environments, according to the founder of the California Breath Clinics, Dr. Harold Katz.

The bacteria are part of a mix that also includes food particles and mucous from post-nasal drip that collect in the tonsil crypts, small pockets in the tonsils themselves. The bacteria produce volatile sulfur compounds that smell like rotting eggs or old socks, only many times worse.

Tonsil stones produce breath so bad that many people who suffer from them are desperate for a solution. At the California Breath Clinics, patients are put on a regimen of oxygenating sprays and rinses, along with nasal sinus drops.

These combat the problem by creating an oxygen-rich environment that kills the anaerobic breath, while the sinus drops stop the flow of mucous that plays a key role in the formation of the tonsil stones. More about tonsil stones…

TheraBreath has completely redesigned the packaging for its popular TheraBreath Oral Rinse to make it more ecologically friendly, easier to open and easier to find on the bathroom shelf. The new eco-friendly bottle has a striking green color that underscores TheraBreath’s commitment to making products that are effective at combating bad breath, tonsil stones and morning breath while remaining “green” in every sense of the word.

Inside the bottle, says TheraBreath founder Dr. Harold Katz, the time-tested and trusted TheraBreath formula remains the same. But outside, there’s a list of features that make the new packaging concept both ecologically and user friendly:

• TheraBreath has eliminated the outer box and inserts of the TheraBreath Oral Rinse sold in retail stores, saving over 150 tons of landfill trash per year and hundreds of trees annually!
• A new interior safety seal now has a convenient pull tab, making the bottle much easier to open.
• The bottle’s new label expands for additional instructions and special money saving offers, reducing the need for additional paper.
• The bottle is made with the most easily recyclable resin and the label is printed with ecologically friendly inks for the lowest environmental impact possible.
• TheraBreath now requires all of its manufacturing partners to have a published statement of ecological responsibility.
• The new bright green color is easily visible on the shelf making it easier to spot in a crowded bathroom.

TheraBreath is already shipping the new bottle to customers who rely on TheraBreath products to fight tonsil stones, morning breath and chronic bad breath.

Bottom line: Try TheraBreath, you’ll like it!

In a story published on January 11, 2009 by the Australian newspaper The Sunday Telegraph, experts called for the immediate removal of alcohol-based mouthwash from Australia’s supermarket shelves.

This remarkable position is due to recent research that links the use of alcohol based mouthwash to oral cancer. A study by leading independent experts published in the Dental Journal of Australia concludes that there is now ‘sufficient evidence’ that ‘alcohol-containing mouthwashes contribute to the increased risk of development of oral cancer’. The lead author of the review and chair of the Australian Dental Associations (ADA) therapeutics committee, Professor Michael McCullough, told the Sunday Telegraph that alcohol-containing mouthwash should be reclassified as prescription-only and carry written health warnings.

Professor McCullough, who is on the faculty of the Department of Oral Medicine at the University of Melbourne, further called on the ADA to ‘urgently re-assess its seal of approval on mouthwashes containing alcohol.’ In particular, the study found that the effect of alcohol based mouthwash on smokers was extreme, with ‘a nine-fold increased risk of cancers in the oral cavity.’

‘If it was a facial cream that had the effect of reducing acne but had a four- to five-fold increased risk of skin cancer, no one would be recommending it’ said Prof McCullough. ‘It is inadvisable for oral health-care professionals to recommend the long term use of alcohol-containing mouthwashes.’

So what does this new study recommend? Study co-author Dr Camile Farah, director of research at the University of Queensland’s School of Dentistry, recommended drastically restricting the use of alcohol-based mouthwash and replacing it ‘with alcohol-free versions.’

Visitors to this website should know that all TheraBreath formulas are alcohol free and completely safe to use. In fact, TheraBreath formulas are even considered kosher and vegan! To the best of our knowledge, no other oral care products can make this claim.

So, if you currently have an alcohol based mouthwash in your medicine cabinet, you may want to reconsider using it based on this latest medical research. Replacing it with an all-natural oral rinse is inexpensive and sensible. And if you have already replaced all that stuff with TheraBreath, you can breathe easy. You are already using the purest and most effective formulas you can buy.

If you would like to read the original Sunday Telegraph story, it’s available here: Sunday Telegraph.

TheraBreath is also currently running its February BONUS PAK SPECIAL promotion, where you save 60% or more off the cost of TheraBreath’s best selling toothpaste, rinse, and oral care products. These savings are available for a very limited time, so take a couple of minutes to check out the deals before they are gone for good!

If you have chronic bad breath, it’s important to follow a simple but proven daily routine that’s sure to help improve the quality of your breath. Here’s a list of ten fresh breath tips that are sure to prevent bad breath.

1. Don’t Forget Your Tongue
Even if you brush and floss several times a day, the bacteria responsible for bad breath can still be present on or in the tongue. Use a non-gagging tongue scraper to gently clean your tongue after you brush.

2. Drink Plenty Of Water
A dry mouth is a perfect breeding ground for bad breath bacteria. Drinking plenty of water helps create an environment where it’s difficult for these bacteria to thrive.

3. Keep Cool
Stress makes your bad breath worse. Take a deep breath and relax!

4. Watch Out For Sugar
Breath mints and chewing gum that contain sugar can feed the bacteria that produce the sulfur compounds responsible for bad breath. Stay away from sugar to prevent bad breath and keep your breath smelling sweet.

5. Don’t Cover Up Your Bad Breath – Prevent It
Most breath mints use sugar or artificial flavors to mask bad breath instead of preventing it. You might want to try ZOX, the first breath mint to actually neutralize bad breath production without sugar or artificial flavors.

6. Try Blowing Your Nose More Frequently
Excess mucous is a potent food source for the bacteria that cause bad breath.

7. Stay Away From Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Almost all drugstore toothpastes contain sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), a foaming agent that dries out the oral cavity and that has also been linked to canker sores. TheraBreath Toothpaste is SLS free!

8. Take Medication With Lots Of Water
Many over-the-counter and prescription medications list dry mouth, bad breath, or taste disorders as possible side effects. Drinking lots of water when taking meds can help keep the oral cavity moist and prevent bad breath.

9. Here’s A No-Brainer: Stop Smoking!
Smoking immediately causes bad breath. Kick the habit to stay kissable and healthy for many years to come.

10. Oxygenate! Oxygenate! Oxygenate!
Bacteria that cause bad breath are anaerobic and thrive in an environment where oxygen levels are low. Use clinically proven TheraBreath products to oxygenate your mouth and prevent these bacteria from causing your bad breath.

Visit IWantFreshBreath.com today to order a free trial of TheraBreath products!