Tonsil stones are hard white gelled clumps of food stuck in the tonsils. They often cause a scratchy or sore throat, bad breath and difficulty swallowing. Sometimes people can see them on X-rays or CAT scans but other times they are discovered by chance by medical professionals. A health care provider may be able to remove them at home, but this is usually only possible if the patient does not have a sensitive gag reflex. The healthcare professional can use a cotton swab to sweep the stones away and he or she can also dislodge them by forcefully coughing.
Can touncil stone worsen your tmj not try to remove a tonsil stone at home with their finger or a cotton swab because this can cause pain or infection. The tonsils are delicate and prone to bleeding if they are scraped with a hard object. Rinsing the mouth with apple cider vinegar can help reduce the number of tonsil stones as it contains acid that breaks down the substances in the stones. Other home remedies include gargling (a teaspoon of salt dissolved in eight ounces of water), eating plenty of fiber and drinking lots of fluids to flush the tonsils.
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TMJ symptoms often improve on their own with time, especially if the pain is caused by habits such as grinding or clenching the teeth which can be avoided by wearing night guards. Seeing a physiologic dentist and following a good diet and exercise program can also improve TMJ symptoms by helping to relax the jaw muscles and relieving tension in the neck head and shoulder area.