HealthTap Online Primary Care Doctors Accepting New Patients
Book a video visit
HealthTap
Telehealth
A member asked:

How can you tell the difference between tonsillitis and tonsil stones?

A doctor has provided 1 answer
Dr. Glenn Messina answered

Specializes in Aesthetic Medicine

Infection: Tonsillitis is an infection of the tonsil you feel ill have a sore throat, fever, swollen tonsils often with a white exudate or film on them. The stone is a different process you may experience mouth odor and bad taste but no fever or infection. Tonsillitis requires antibiotics stones can be removes with a stone extractor.

Dr Chuu agreed

Answered 7/29/2018

4k views

Thank

Related Questions

A member asked:

Can U request to have UR tonsils removed? I get strep &/or tonsillitis regularly & I have dealt with chronic tonsil stone for 10 yrs. I'm 25 & Female.

A doctor has provided 1 answer

A member asked:

If you eat dairy while you have tonsillitis does this put you at risk for developing tonsil stones? Does gargling salt water prevent this?

A doctor has provided 1 answer

A member asked:

A month ago i had kidney stones and now i have recently had tonsillitis and tonsil stones. Are the kidney stones and tonsil stones related in any way?

5 doctors weighed in across 2 answers

A member asked:

Can I have chronic tonsillitis in one tonsil if I have deep crypts but no tonsil stones but have really bad breath and only 1 swollen tonsil?

4 doctors weighed in across 2 answers

A member asked:

I had tonsillitis for 3 weeks now been on zpack for 5 days and amoxicillin for 10 days the tonsil stones and pus is still there and its still hurting ?

2 doctors weighed in across 2 answers

Sponsored Content
HealthTap Medical Group does not endorse products or services. Sponsored content revenues support our mission to make health information free and accessible to all.Learn more

People also searched for:

How can I tell the difference between tonsillitis, strep throat, or tonsil stones?
I have tonsillitis for the first time. With it, i just got a tonsil stone. Does this mean that i will continuously get them, even once i'm better?
I have tonsillitis at the moment. It's the first time i've ever gotten it. I just got a tonsil stone because of it. Will i continue getting them now?
Can tonsil stones cause tonsillitis? I have a tonsil stone that cannot be removed & tonsils are producing green tonsil stones. Should I worry?
I get white stones in my tonsils every few days and they result in tonsillitis every few months. Do I need my tonsils out? How do I get rid of stones?

Telemedicine

Primary Care
Manage Your Conditions
Women's Health
Children's Health
Men's Health
Senior Health
Wellness, Prevention & Lifestyle
Sexual Health
Mental & Behavioral Health
Travel Medicine
Urgent Care
Ask your question
Didn't find what you're looking for?

90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions or offer you advice, prescriptions, and more.

Ask your question

More of what we treat

Allergies
Antibiotics
Asthma
High Blood Pressure
Prescriptions
Type 2 Diabetes
Content on HealthTap (including answers) should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and interactions on HealthTap do not create a doctor-patient relationship. Never disregard or delay professional medical advice in person because of anything on HealthTap. Call your doctor or 911 if you think you may have a medical emergency.
HealthTap
HIPAA logo
HIPAASecure
Soc 2 Type 2 logo
SOC 2 Type 2Certified
JCAHO Accredited
JCAHOAccredited
Member App

Download HealthTap

Video visit and message your doctor

Member App QR Code
Play Store Member LinkApp Store Member Link

Questions?

+1 (888) 828-0841support@healthtap.com
LinkedInTwitter
HomeTermsPrivacyCookiesDMCAHealth TopicsDoctors DirectoryDoctor Q&A by Specialty
Copyright 2026 HealthTap, Inc.