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Dental Health (Expert Forum)
I'm in need of help... Filth emminating from the mouth
Answered by
Jerome Bogin, D.D.S. - Dental
Questions in the Dental Health forum are answered by Dr. Jerome Tsang and Dr. Jerome Bogin. Topics covered include bridges, cavities, crowns, and x-rays.
I'm in need of help... Filth emminating from the mouth
by Clarke Devlin, May 14, 2005 12:00AM
I've been worried a lot by my problem in regards to my breath... I could say I'm totally Hygienic when it comes to mouthcare. I've consulted a lot of dentists, and doctors but whatever they do and prescribe, it just won't give any fruitful result. About some time ago I started to cough out white yellowish spots w/c comes in various sizes... I smelled it, and and found it to be of the most awful smell I've encountered emminating from a mouth. One time I examined my throat and looking for any signs of where the awful stuff might have come from, using a cotton swab I gave a little push in my tonsils and there, came from the tonsilar crypts a series of what I've found before. I tried to push it again a number of times and it gave out a pretty huge amount of... should I say filth. I certainly hope someone out there might be able to help me on knowing what the dots are and what I should do... I gave it heck of a gargle using some promising mouthwashes but it doesn't seem to be enough.... Please help I'm totally in desperate mode all the time, I'm a nursing student and hoping a solution to my problem could be a solution to some others out there too...
Doctor's Answer
by Jerome Bogin, D.D.S. , May 16, 2005 12:00AM
, May 16, 2005 12:00AM
Dear Clark, It is difficult to diagnosis something like this without seeing it. From your discreption I would think a consultation with an ENT doctor would be appropiate. Many odors from the mouth are related to gastric problems.
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1, It could be coming from your gums. You could have an infection
before the pain starts. I knew several people that had a bad
breath problem and they found out from their dentist they had
a gum problem.
2. It could be something going on with your tonsils.But, usually
i would think that would be followed by pain. Anyway, I
would check with dentist first then M.D. doctor.
Good luck. And let me know what the problem was. I am
curious.
I have to tell you, Having this is unbearable. It affects my social life, and relationships as well. Imagine being sick and not having a solution to it. I dropped out from school this last semester for this reason, I kinda am starting to hate my life now. I just don't know what to do... The last time I was at the University was when I have to learn First Aid CPR with a classmate. I just walked out... afraid of being laughed at and rejected. This sickness is slowly eating me alive. I hate having this... Well, who wouldn't?
I'm sorry for being so emotional with this. But right now I just don't know what to do. And totally got no one to talk to.
Thanks for hearin' me out
I have to tell you, Having this is unbearable. It affects my social life, and relationships as well. Imagine being sick and not having a solution to it. I dropped out from school this last semester for this reason, I kinda am starting to hate my life now. I just don't know what to do... The last time I was at the University was when I have to learn First Aid CPR with a classmate. I just walked out... afraid of being laughed at and rejected. This sickness is slowly eating me alive. I hate having this... Well, who wouldn't?
I'm sorry for being so emotional with this. But right now I just don't know what to do. And totally got no one to talk to.
Thanks for hearin' me out
I noted that you said you have gotten stuff out of your tonsils. Pieces of food can get stuck in the dents in your tonsils and rot. The smell that comes from them is really disgusting.
I get these whitish pieces every now and then and remove them with q-tips. I always know they are there when I get a bad taste. It feels like the smell/taste is coming from my stomach, but I now know it's my tonsils. I am careful with my tonsils because they bleed very easily.
Maybe you could ask the doc about getting your tonsils taken out.
If that is not the source of your problem, check to see if you have the halico bacter germ in your stomach. A blood test can tell you if you do or not. My mom was told her bad breath was probably gastro related and advised to get checked for that germ. If it is that, it can be gotten rid of with antibiotics.
Oh, my mom uses those thin Listerine mint strips and they help a lot.
Always talk to your doctor before you do anything.
Good luck and don't withdraw from your social life.
PAN
A friends daughter had such horrible halitosis that by first grade her little friends were teasing and avoiding her. After many visits to many doctors who all did the shrug mentioned above, they finally found one who decided to take out her apparently healthy tonsils. It was a shock to all to see the adenoids (adenoids), which were removed with the tonsils, dissected. Imagine swiss cheese with tubes and holes all filled with the horrible rotting dead white cells that past infections had left. No one could see the problem on the outside, but they could smell it and I am sure that the white stinky blobs from my throat are exactly the same stuff, having filled up the available space in the adenoids (adenoids) and erupting.
Another friend has the same problem and knows that the doctors are nuts when they give her the "shrug". She and I simply clean the pockets out by applying gentle pressure with q-tips and then doing an antibacterial gargle with mouthwash or salt water.
Hope this helps. Hang in there.
I have holes in my tonsils- i could feel something hard on the back of my tounge- and i noticed small white dots coming out of my mouth at times-
Then the other day, i noticed a white spot on one of my tonsils- so i tried to pick at it with my finger [smart i know]
Pushing on my tonsil, i just noticed it was a white buildup filling holes in my tonsil~
It is a lot like plaque buildup on your teeth- and later in the day, after I ate- I noticed food getting trapped in there-
So i assume that it's food getting trapped in holes in your tonsils, and "spoiling"
thankfully, i don't have a problem with bad breath- but this is EXTREMELY ANNOYING.
Am I seriously going to have to clean out my tonsils all the time??? That's going to suck.
a helpful link about it
http://www.dentist.net/tonsils-bad-breath.asp
Thanks Fullerdy
Then, one day i was looking at the back of my throat and i noticed that the dots look like they were gettn ready to pop out. So i grabbed a Q-tip and poked it and it came out,leaving a little crater in my throat, Dont ask me why but i smelled it and " OMG, If you dont have it. Its the worst smell ever. It smells like rotten S@)$*@(&" its horrible. This is when i started to freak out...!!!! I myself never get sick, and when i do its always the weirdest things that happen to me. So, anyways as im freaking out becuase the dots came out i decided to poke at other spots of my throat. and sure enough TONS of white capsules came out.. DISGUSTING!!!! I decided to go to my doctor about this problem.
So i go to my doctor and tell him to look at my throat, he tryed to tell me it was strep yet again, until i stuck my finger in my throat and they cam out... My doctor looked at me, and he said well i dont know what that is "shrugged his shoulders" and told me that it was probably my bodies immune system trying to fight off infection and the white capsules in my throat, were in fact Dead white blood cells that had clumped together..
I myself dont think this is what it is, but who knows.... :(
I still havent found anything that works to get rid of them completly. although i have found a mouth wash that does help reduce the amount of white capsules. I suggest using the Mouth wash " Bio-tene". It works well.i also suggest on just keep using mouth washes and brushing your teeth daily.
I just hope that you and i wont have to live with this problem forever.
If anyone does have any advice, Please post it. Or contact me at jason_6914***@**** It would mean a ton.
Thanx
Jay
I have had the exact same problem for many years. I am a 37 year old mother of two little girls who is going to have her tonsils removed on September 9th. I can't wait!!!! My ENT totally understands the embarassment that I feel when I go to kiss my husband and he says go dig whatever that "?@#!" is out of my mouth. The ENT says that taking to tonsils out will cure my problem. No more gagging myself with a Q-tip and making my tonsils bleed with a water-pic. I will let everyone know how the operation goes. I have never been so excited to have surgery, but all of you out there with this grooooossss problem would probably be as happy to do it too. So anyone out there that is sick of dealing with this should go see a ENT as soon as you can. Good Luck!
I went to an ENT in april and he said that my tonsils did not look bad but I can have them removed or have them shaved down. I did not do anything but they are a pain, as you all know.
So i called my Dr last month and told her that one year of these things are enough for me i want to have my tonsils taken out. I have and appointment on Sept 12 to see another ENT and I will tell him to take them out. I get small fevers 99-100 went my white spots appear and i look pail.
I called my Vet i have two dogs and i heard from people at work that you can get strep from yours dogs. So she said that is true but you and the dr have to be treated at the same time and she is in her 30s and when i told her of my white spots she told me that she had them when she was in her 20s and went thru the same thing as i did all the dr said the same thing but she went to this one dr who said that they had to come out.
nellyone
just go to your dr and say i have these white spots that smell. but as you can see we have all gotten the same story. good luck to you all.
jc501
I'm a Medical Student in England, and Since I suffer from tonsil crypts myself I've done some research on the subject.
The crypts at the back of the tonsils develop due to infections that you may have had in the past as a child or young adult(tonsillitis, or simply due to trauma/damage. These little crypts are lovely moist warm breading grounds for the anaerobic bacteria that live in the back of your throat. They are essentially like the plaque you get on your teeth. It is suggested that food liquefied by chewing when eating can get stuck in these crypts and viscous fluids like milk and milkshakes etc are also perfect for getting stuck here. Now when you swallow there is usually enough force to remove the particles in these crypts but its not always successful. The bacteria eat away at the food stuff just like they do on your teeth (I think the most probable bacteria is Strep Mutans or similar) and produce the horrid little stony plaques (tonsiliths). They can also cause some inflammation and be supparative (pus producing) so these tonsiliths could also contain dead white cells as well and if disturbed to cause bleeding but not fully removed could lead to tonsillitis.
You may find they are more noticeable when your mouth is very dry and dehydrated as the tonsils may shrink slightly allowing the stones to be released. This is partly the reason they are more noticeable first thing in the morning.
So you can do a number of things:-
Firstly, Go see your Family doctor (GP) and talk to him/her about it. Say you are concerned about your breath etc and that you think you may have chronic cryptic tonsils that exude little foul smelling plaques. The Foul taste you feel and the self consciousness you feel should strike a cord with him/her to get something done about them. Don't take no for an answer, you want a cure!
Meanwhile you should thoroughly gargle with a strong mouthwash. Something with chlorhexidine or similar is a good idea. Do this twice a day after or before brushing with a antimicrobial toothpaste like Colgate total. And after every meal gargle with some water and a little salt. This will keep the tonsils moist and help clear out any particles there.
Chew dental or no sugar chewing gum. The supply of saliva will often dislodge a little plaque that you can cough up and get rid of, and the minty smell can mask any breath smell.
Use the q-tip (called cotton buds in the UK) to squeeze out the little tonsil stones/tonsiliths whenever you can feel them or physically see them in the mirror, please be carefull though as you could choke or damage your tonsils so do this at your own risk.
Antibiotics long term can certainly cure this problem, as I personally have experienced this. Whilst on tetracycline or erythromycin for acne my tonsils were totally clear. I wouldn't recommend the high dosages I took to everyone as you can get stomach upsets etc, but it may be worth a try and perhaps some antibiotics could be suggested to your Doctor to see what his opinion is.
Lastly the best cure is to have a tonsillectomy (removal of tonsils). Although your tonsils are part of your lymphatic/immune system after childhood, you are able to cope without them and the glands elsewhere in the head and neck can cope with any infections. Some people feel that after removal of there tonsils they get more frequent chest infections instead of throats so its something to consider, but you will need to thoroughly chat about it all with your GP and then ENT surgeon after you are referred.
Sorry for the long post I hope that it has helped to explain and help people out there who have this really annoying condition
Thanks
Heid
The ENT surgeon can surgically 'shave' down the tonsils to get rid of the crypts (if they are not too deep) and this might greatly help and still allow you to keep your tonsils. Or even a new technique where you can have lazer resurfacing of the tonsils to cause tough scar tissue to cover the surface of the tonsils and so cover and stop anything entering the crypts. This high tech option certainly comes at a price, and i know that in the UK the NHS will not pay for it.
Anyways hope that helps
Heid
Was just looking at a paper online and they suggest that although foodstuff may be a contributing factor, The main content of tonsilliths is bacterial and epithelial debris that accumulate in tonsil crypts. So the actual tonsil tissue itself (that normally sheds), along with the mucous and saliva at the back of the throat and also (possible) small particles of foodstuffs that cant get out of the tonsils all combined with the natural bacteria in the throat all forms a little ball when it cant be released. These little balls can develop deep inside the tonsil (so foodstuffs may only be a small contributing factor).
Some of these tonsil stones can be very old and calcify (they even show up on X-ray) so can be very hard to remove.
The last thing to remember is that although when you have the little balls crushed in your finger or cotton bud, they smell foul, when fully intact and coated in saliva they actually dont smell very much at all. So try and not get too paranoid about your breath! It may not be all that bad
Cheers
Neil
My mother and I both suffer from this problem. One day when she took me to the doctor (for some reason other than this), we remembered to ask our doctor about it. She said it's not just food getting stuck and rotting in your tonsils. You're body actually produces the substance. I have no clue why, but I do know it's something your body produces, and you just can't get rid of it. Getting your tonsils out won't help. And yes, it causes horrible bad breath. Every time you brush your teeth, try brushing all of your tongue, until you're tongue is all pink, and none of it has white on it. I find that this helps.
I'm very sorry that you suffer from this. It's a pain. But a lot more people have it than you think. It's pretty common. But my doctor said that it's not something that you can treat. It's just the way our body works. Some people produce so little, that they never notice it. But for those of us who produce lots and lots, those hard little smelly pieces can get annoying.
Good luck!
Previously my tonsils had quite a even surface and the more I get them the more craters I get, I don't think that it can be food.
Other symptoms I have suffered from while experiencing this rather revolting condition is a rash on my face. Which I am not sure if it is conected or not but the doctor diagnosed it as acne which it clearly isn't - a holistic therapist has advised me to stay off wheat and dairy completely - so reading previous comments that it may be caused by dairy although understandable are not the case in my situation....
I have never suffered from this before until the last few months and having read this forum I am worried I will be shoving q-tips/cotton buds down my throat to get this gross puss out all my life is quite worrying...
If any one has a solution please post it - I have another consultation with my Holistic therapist soon and will be mentioning this to her then... will keep you posted!
I can poke at my tonsils any given day and "something" will come out wether it be a ball of yuck or a yellowish smelly liquid. It is disgusting and I can taste it every time I swallow. I have dealt with it for a long time and am fed up. I have seen a doctor about it and all he said was well, when you feel like you want it cleaned out, just come in and I can press the tonsil and "drain" if for you. That's a crock cuz I can do that much on my own and not have to pay for it. I will be heading off to a different doctor once again to see if I can get something done about it once and for all. As for the rest of you with this problem, good luck and I hope you all get it resolved.
Anyway, I had the tonsillectomy and I’ll try to remember to come back to post my findings.
I have found that if I abstain from dairy products that the tonsilliths CEASE ENTIRELY. I am allergic to dairy. The tonsills are equipped to fight infection. My body views dairy as something foreign to me, and fights it. If I eat ice cream one day, the very next day I begin to develop a tiny tonsillith. If I continue to eat dairy, my tonsillith grows into one of those terrible stones that everyone talks about. Dairy is a known mucus-producer.
Give it a shot. It's worth a try! Abstain from ALL dairy for a week or two and see if your tonsilliths decrease or stop. If that doesn't work for you, abstain from any known food allergens. (You shouldn't be eating them anyway! :) )
ps.
this is not a joke
Hope this helps someone........it is a terrible problem as I am a clean-freak and brush and floss at least three times a day. Still have it occasionally but not like I did before trying the peroxide.
I hope for the sake of everyone who has this odd condition that a perminent cure is founf soon.
Rob.