A 34-year-old member asked:

What are tonsil stones made of?

2 doctor answers5 doctors weighed in
Dr. Russell Faust
Dr. Russell Faustanswered
ENT and Head and Neck Surgery 31 years experience
ICKY STUFF: Tonsil "stones" are comprised of dead mucosal cells from the lining of the oral cavity, from microscopic food particles, and from bacteria - usually in the form of "biofilm". Based on dna sequencing studies, we found more than 100 separate species of bacteria in tonsil stones in a group of 50 children.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Dr. Sanford Archer
ENT and Head and Neck Surgery 40 years experience
Food particles: Tonsiliths are food particles covered in minerals from your saliva.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.

Similar questions

A 42-year-old female asked:

What are tonsil stones?

4 doctor answers4 doctors weighed in
Dr. David Kam
ENT and Head and Neck Surgery 38 years experience
Tonsilliths: They are bacterial colonies that form in tonsillar crypts. A common bacteria is actinomyces. It can give you a foreign body sensation in throat and halitosis.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.

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How are tonsil stones started?
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Last updated Dec 26, 2020

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