Bad breath is one of the most common illnesses that affect adults and children alike. One recent study conducted estimates that over 30% of all adults suffer from issues that result in bad breath. According to the best dentist in Houston TX, even though bad breath can be due to a variety of reasons but it can also be caused due to oral health concerns such as tonsil stones.
Let us take a look at what tonsil stones are and how they might be the culprit behind oral health issues such as the bad breath.
What roles do your tonsils play?
Tonsils are not a very commonly discussed topic when it comes to health. However, experts at A Dental Care Houston suggest that your tonsils play a very important part in building the immune system of your body. They actually work like small nets that can prevent materials such as debris and bacteria from passing down the nasal passages and the throat. Even though a lot of people have had their tonsils removed without any adverse or serious side effects, in general doctors at the best dental offices in Houston do not recommend surgically removing your tonsils until you need to get your tonsil stones removed regularly.
Tonsil Stones: What are they?
You can think of tonsil stones as small growths that occur inside your tonsils. They are deposits called tonsil stones as they are either found within the tonsils or on them and have a hard texture that resembles calcified rocks. In general tonsil stones present themselves as white spots.
Tonsils also get swollen, bumpy, and red in color in the area that has tonsil stones. You can think of tonsil stones just as you think of kidney stones. Even though they are not the same thing, they also need to be removed. Tonsil stones in general are not associated with any decay or any disease and do not pose any real threat to your physical health typically.
Tonsil Stones: Debris and Trapped Bacteria
The exact composition of tonsil stones varies from person to person. Common symptoms of tonsil stones also vary from person to person. However in general these include trouble and discomfort while swallowing, bad breath, and sore throat. A lot of tonsil stones can also simply be asymptomatic and can be hard to diagnose.
When tonsil stones develop over time, they can have a lot of debris and bacteria trapped inside them. Once these accumulate, they can cause an infection in your tonsils. Once this happens, it is imperative to get tonsil stones removed as soon as possible before risking a bigger infection.
This debris and bacteria that get accumulated tonsil stones are generally innocuous. The debris is made up of food particles, skin cells, and expected mucus. The size of these crypts or pockets present on your tonsils, in general, contributes to the growth of these stones. With the maintenance of proper care and hygiene, these crypts and pockets might not have a lot of material to harden, collect and get calcified.
Tonsil Stones and the role Dentistry can play in preventing them
At the first impression, you might not think that dental health and tonsil health go together. However, maintaining good oral hygiene and the best dental services can play a significant role when it comes to the prevention of tonsil stones from developing altogether. A lot of times, tonsil stones can be easily removed without surgery, with a simple cotton swab and a toothbrush. However, prevention is better than cure and is simply the best possible route to prevent injury and discomfort.
Can healthy people develop Tonsil Stones?
Healthy people can easily develop tonsil stones. The fact is that the tonsils stones by themselves are not an indicator of health and inflammation. The tonsil stone development and your overall health are not intrinsically related. The formation of tonsil stones is generally the result of poor hygiene instead of health.
How preventive dental care is related to Tonsil Stones
Preventive dental care is a vital part of the arsenal in your home remedy. It helps you in fighting against the formation of tonsil stones. Regular flossing and brushing, regular visits to the best dentist in Houston, and simply rinsing with water and salt can go a long way in helping to prevent tonsil stones and in improving your oral health. The stones are generally made up of debris. Hence when you remove dental plaque, you are basically cutting down the material that is available to get lodged into your tonsils in the form of tonsil stones.
Conclusion
A lot of people fail to link the health of their tonsils, nasal passages, and throat to their oral health, however, each of them is linked closely. If the state of your oral health is not optimal, the overall health begins to deteriorate. You need to approach a Houston dentist and discuss how you can improve your overall health by improving your oral health.
