White 'chunks' forming in throat

For about a year I have had these small white chunks of something forming at the anterior portion of my throat right around the level of the thyroid cartilage. At times they break loose and I can spit them off. Other times I can feel them back there and have to cough or manipulate my mouth in order to break them loose. They smell foul and give a bad taste and I believe it is a source of my occasional halitosis. They are soft and moist but crumble with light pressure. I brush twice a day and use mouthwash which I gargle deeply and brush my tongue.  What is the cause of this and what can I do to get rid of, and prevent them.

[J.M. Keyes, MD]

Your tonsils have crypts (like deep craters) that trap food and debris.  This debris then decompses and thus can be foul smelling and tasting. When it builds up to a certain point, or you apply pressure to the tonsil, the "tonsiliths" break off.  
The only way to "cure" this is to have the tonsils removed (which can be a very unpleasant surgery to have as an adult).  Gargling after every meal may help to prevent the debris from depositing in the tonsilar crypts.

Good luck,
JMK MD

[tattcatt]

I get those too.  Thanks for asking that question, its good to finally know what causes those white chunks to appear.