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Recently, a friend asked me about tonsil stones. He has sore throats several times a year, which are instantly relieved by gargling to remove them. When I told him I thought tonsil stones were pretty rare, he asked: "Are you sure about that? My ear, nose, and throat doctor says they're common as rocks." (Get it? stones? rocks?)
It turns out, my friend and his doctor are on to something. Tonsil stones are surprisingly common and often quite annoying. Here's what to know and do.
What are tonsil stones?
Tonsil stones (medical term: tonsilloliths) are small white or yellow deposits on the tonsils. They develop when bacteria, saliva, food particles, and debris from cells lining the mouth get trapped in tiny indentations called crypts.
They vary considerably between people, including:
While they're more likely to form if you have poor oral hygiene, good oral hygiene doesn't provide complete protection. Even those who brush, floss, and see their dentists regularly can develop tonsil stones.
How common are tonsil stones?
You've heard of kidney stones and gallstones, right? Clearly, those conditions are better known than tonsil stones. Yet tonsil stones are far more common: studies suggest that up to 40% of the population have them. Fortunately, unlike kidney stones and gallstones, tonsil stones are usually harmless.
What are the symptoms of tonsil stones?
Often people have no symptoms. In fact, if tonsil stones are small enough, you may not even know you have them. When tonsil stones do cause symptoms, the most common ones are:
Who gets tonsil stones?
Anyone who has tonsils can get them. However, some people are more likely than others to form tonsil stones, including those who
How are tonsil stones treated?
That depends on whether you have symptoms and how severe the symptoms are.
Is surgery ever necessary?
Occasionally, surgery may be warranted. It's generally reserved for people with severe symptoms or frequent infections who don't improve with the measures mentioned above.
Surgical options are:
Can tonsil stones be prevented?
Yes, there are ways to reduce the risk that tonsil stones will recur. Experts recommend the following:
The bottom line
Considering how common tonsil stones are and how bothersome they can be, it seems strange that they aren't more well known. Maybe that's because they often get better on their own, or people figure out how to deal with them without needing medical attention.
I hope you aren't one of the many millions of people bothered by tonsil stones. But if you are, it's good to know that they're generally harmless and can be readily treated and prevented.
Now that you know more about them, feel free to spread the word: tonsil stones should be a secret no more.
Source: Harvard Health Publishing
Instablog9ja
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The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has stated that the federal government is working to address the country’s security challenges.
Speaking with Channels Television on Tuesday, the minister said the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, are losing sleep over the issue.
“Nobody is resting. Not the NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, not the Minister of Defence, not the Chief of Defence Staff, not the DSS.
Nobody is sleeping, we are working. This security issue is a major issue of national concern and I will not sit here and refuse to take responsibility for the security of Nigerians on behalf of the President.
The President is sensitive to these issues. Do not judge the President, or this administration by the level of assurance. Talk is cheap, the real deal is the action.
We came May 29 last year, I don’t want us to bring politics into this. We all know the situations across the board, have we gotten to where we want to get to? The answer is no. Are we where we were? The answer is no. We have made progress,” he said.
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Instablog9ja
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The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has revealed that the extent of corruption within the power sector is distressing enough to bring people to tears.
Olukoyede made the revelation during an oversight visit by the House of Representatives Committee on Financial Crimes to the EFCC’s headquarters in Abuja, on Tuesday, November 12.
“As we speak, we are grappling with electricity. If you see some of the investigations we are carrying out within the power sector, you will shed tears.
People were awarded contracts to supply electricity equipment. Instead of using what they call 9.0 guage, they will go and buy 5.0.
Every time you see the thing tripping off, the thing gets burnt, and all of that, it falters and it collapses. It’s part of our problems,” he said.
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Instablog9ja
20 hrs
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President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that the country’s toughest economic times are over.
He shared this message on Tuesday in Edo State during the swearing-in ceremony of Monday Okpebholo and Dennis Idahosa as Governor and Deputy Governor, respectively.
Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, the President said: “This atmosphere of joy and hope resonates with the voice of the people.
We have weathered the hardest days as a nation. We have pulled back from the brink of economic collapse, and now we step forward into a time of growth.
Securing the future of our economy demanded serious reform to stave off threats to the stability of this great nation.”
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Instablog9ja
1 dy
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Okpebholo sworn in as Edo State Governor
Senator Monday Okpebholo has been sworn in as the 6th elected governor of Edo State.
This marks the end of the eight-year administration of Godwin Obaseki of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The inauguration ceremony took place on Tuesday, November 12, at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, the state capital.
Okpebholo took the oath of office alongside his running mate, Dennis Idahosa.
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Instablog9ja
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The United State authorities have issued a wanted notice for 48-year-old Nigerian man, Olalekan Abimbola Olawusi, offering a $25,000 reward for tips that lead to his arrest.
The suspect, who is believed to have fled to Nigeria, faces charges of first-degree m+rder and two counts of inflicting serious bodily inj+ry to a child.
The charges stem from an April 3, 2017 incident in Providence, Rhode Island, where emergency personnel found Olawusi’s 3-month-old son in critical condition, bleeding from the mouth and nose.
The infant was hospitalized in cardiac arrest with numerous inj+ries indicating long-term ab+se, including skull and rib fractures.
Despite being placed on life support, the child passed away six months later.
Olawusi was subsequently arrested and charged with first-degree child ab+se in April 2017.
He was released the same day and subsequently fled. The m+rder charge was added following the infant’s d3ath October 31, 2017.
The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) investigation revealed that Olawusi had flown out of John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on June 20, 2017, using his Nigerian passport.
Investigators believe Olawusi may be receiving assistance from family members in Nigeria and that he could be a d+nger to other children.
In a statement, Don Freeman, Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal, urged anyone with information on Olawusi’s whereabouts to come forward.
Olawusi, who uses the alias Olekun Olawusi, stands 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs approximately 185 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes.
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