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Can You Use A Waterpik For A Tonsil Stone?

Blog · January 2, 2022

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Table of Contents

  • What are tonsil stones?
  • Are tonsil stones harmful?
  • Is it common to have tonsil stones?
  • Symptoms of tonsil stones:
    • Trouble swallowing:
    • Ear pain:
    • A sore throat:
    • Bad breath:
    • Swollen tonsils:
  • Causes of tonsillitis:
    • Poor oral hygiene:
    • The large size of tonsils: 
  • Natural remedies:
    • Gargling with warm water:
    • Use of Garlic:
    • Use of finger or cotton bud:
    • Use of essential oil:
    • Coughing:
    • Saltwater:
  • A water flosser, irrigator, or Waterpik:
  • How does Waterpik act as tonsil stone remover?
  • The Best Waterpik products to choose from and their benefits:
    • Cordless express water flosser:
    • Ultra plus water flosser:
    • Waterpik WP 660:
  • Other options to treat or remove tonsils:
  • FAQ:

Can You Use A Waterpik For A Tonsil StoneWaterpik water flosser is an ideal choice to treat tonsil stones. But to understand the importance of this spiffy product, you have to learn about the problem and how this product can help you. So, let’s have a detailed insight into the topic of a tonsil stone and possible ways to deal with it. 

What are tonsil stones?

A simple buildup of food particles, bacteria, and dust in the tonsil cavity is called Tonsolliliths or tonsil stones. These stones are not harmful until they appear as a hard lump that irritates you while eating or swallowing something. They may cause infection if you are not taking care of your oral hygiene. 

Initially, these stones are the size of rice grain but can be grown to the size of your thumbnail if you allow the debris to heap up at tonsil ducts. Having tonsil stones is a common problem among people these days. If you also feel some hard lumps at the end of your throat, no need to worry. Getting rid of this is super easy and affordable.

Are tonsil stones harmful?

No, tonsil stones do not harm your health as much. Many people have them but don’t realize their presence. You don’t need to worry about them until they have a visible appearance. You need remedies if you are feeling irritation or having an infection in the throat. 

Usually, the tonsil stones are removed naturally by the immune system of our body. You can avoid them again by taking care of your oral health. Use quality toothpaste and brush, antibacterial floss, and Waterpik or irrigator. In case of any serious problem, you must visit a doctor. 

Tonsil stones are interlinked with other diseases like halitosis which indicates poor oral hygiene. This condition can lead to other diseases like cavities, gingivitis, and gum disease. This disease is itself not harmful but poor oral hygiene can cause a huge buildup of plaque in your mouth that can also accelerate the causes of heart disease.

 For example, tooth plaque can enter your bloodstream due to the damaged gums and dislodge the arteries and blood supply. Using a mouthwash can also help to avoid bacterial attacks on your oral cavities and teeth.

Is it common to have tonsil stones?

Having visible stones is rare. Every person has a heap of debris or bacterial dust on the tonsil cells. These layers are not much harmful until poked with finger or such items that can cause infection. When you eat or drink some warm substance, they are swallowed down by the throat and removed naturally. Regular brushing, flossing, and use of mouthwash are enough to prevent such tonsil damage. 

Symptoms of tonsil stones:

The following symptoms can help you to detect the presence of tonsil stones:

Trouble swallowing:

The tonsil stones are a whitish chunk of debris or bacteria that can irritate you while swallowing anything you eat or drink. The intensity of trouble depends on the location or size of tonsil stones. People feel they have something stuck in their throats. They feel trouble while swallowing anything. 

Ear pain:

The tonsil stones can be a block in the pathway connecting our throat and ears with the brain. It results in the form of pain in the ear. That pain can be chronic if the throat infection affects the areas of the ear canal. 

A sore throat:

The heap of bacteria and dust in your tonsil ducts can create infection and sore throat. This sore throat is sometimes hard to bear. The Waterpik can help you to get rid of the pain by removing the root cause. 

Bad breath:

Bacterias grow on tonsils and they use organic substances or particles from the food you eat. They produce sulfurous gasses that cause a bad smell in the mouth. This can also be an indicator for tonsil stone. You can deal with bad breath by following the given instructions:

  • 2 minute brushing each day
  • floss once daily
  • drink plenty of water
  • clean your tongue and inside cheeks

If you are not taking care of your teeth and tongue then there is the possibility that tonsil stones will make the problem of bad breath worse. To avoid the problem, you can use an antibacterial mouthwash or Waterpiks.

Swollen tonsils:

The presence of stones can cause infection in tonsil tissues as well. As a result, the tissues become swollen. 

Tonsil stones are hard to detect because of their small size. You can only trace them when they are large enough or by observing the above-prescribed symptoms at home. 

Causes of tonsillitis:

There are two general causes of tonsil stones you should avoid.

Poor oral hygiene:

When we take food containing dust particles or bacteria, these microscopic substances stick to the surface of the tonsils and take the form of a lump there. These lumps are called tonsil stones. If you take proper care of your teeth and tongue, they will fade away. People with poor oral hygiene are more likely to suffer from this problem. 

The large size of tonsils: 

If you have large-sized tonsils then there is no way to avoid tonsil stones. The only solution is to remove them by consulting your doctor. Because maintaining good oral health will not eliminate the problem.

The tonsil stones are easy to handle at home if they are small in size. There are the following ways to treat tonsil stones. 

Natural remedies:

You may suffer from tonsil stones due to any reason. The good news is that your immune system can help you to get rid of this problem without using any specific method. You just have to keep good oral hygiene. The tonsil stones are easy to handle at home if they are small in size. There are the following ways to treat tonsil stones.  

Gargling with warm water:

Gargling with warm water can help you to eliminate tonsil stones. Vinegar can break stones because of its acidic nature. Using apple cider vinegar with a portion of water can help you to remove them. You can use any vinegar for this purpose. 

Use of Garlic:

A study shows that Garlic has the power to stop the growth of bacterias. It can cure the infection. You can consume the garlic anyway to get its benefits.

Use of finger or cotton bud:

If your tonsil stones are visible then you can remove them by using your finger or cotton bud. This removal needs great care as it can harm you. Don’t forget to gargle with warm water after using a finger or cotton stab to remove tonsil stones.

Use of essential oil:

Some essential oils can remove tonsil stones with their antibacterial property. These oils can help you to reduce the inflammation caused by bacteria or can remove them. Pour two to three drops on the brush and use it carefully to treat the tonsil stones.

Coughing:

Coughing is a relatively easy and natural way to deal with these stones but it may not work effectively. 

Saltwater:

Saltwater acts as a supertonic to treat tonsillitis because of its anti-inflammatory property. Gargling with warm salt water can eliminate the stones.

A water flosser, irrigator, or Waterpik:

A dental flosser is a thread used to remove the food particle from your teeth. It’s the traditional way. But the water flosser or irrigators are modern ways to clean your teeth by using electrical spray and water jets. Water pressure helps to remove all the food particles by applying force between teeth. Waterpik is not an alternative to traditional ways like tooth brushing and flossing. You can use it after and before brushing. 

How does Waterpik act as tonsil stone remover?

The Waterflosser or Waterpik can act as tonsil stones remover if you are using it with technique. Fill your Water irrigator with lukewarm water and apply moderate pressure on tonsil stones. Make sure you are using the right kind of mirror that is lit well and the tonsil stones are visible to you. Don’t target your tonsils directly because it will push them back. Instead, use it from the side. Lean forward when you feel it’s coming out. Stop using it if it hurts. You can also use a water flosser or Waterpik to prevent tonsil stone formation. 

The Best Waterpik products to choose from and their benefits:

Waterpik is a name normally associated with different oral health products like water flossers and irrigators. It has a variety of products on its list to choose the right one according to your needs. Let me introduce you to the best products in the Waterpik downline:

Cordless express water flosser:

The Waterpik offers cordless express water flosser WF-02W010 that is portable, rechargeable, and easy to use for small spaces and travel. The product has proper pressure settings and two tips for better water throw. It removes 99% of germs and plaque from the teeth. You can use it with confidence to remove tonsil stones and to maintain oral health. It is approved clinically and accepted by the American Dental Association.

Ultra plus water flosser:

It is a highly recommended product by professionals as it offers advanced features with better results. Ultra plus water flosser has three tips and ten water pressure settings to optimize the results. It is affordable with long-term benefits. 

Waterpik WP 660:

It is the most suitable product for removing tonsil stones as it contains seven tips and ten different settings to control the water pressure. It has an especial hydro pulse massage mode that helps to clean the gums gently. You can use it to remove the stones from the tonsils with care. After removing stones, you can use Waterpik WP 660 for regular clean-up of your teeth. Less plaque in your mouth will decrease the chances of tonsil stone problems.

Other options to treat or remove tonsils:

Surgery:

Removing your tonsils through surgery is called a tonsillectomy. Surgery is the last option and demands the removal of tonsils. You need this surgery only in two conditions: 

  • having a high risk of infection 
  • Problems in sleeping.

Doctors perform this surgery in 20-30 minutes by having the patient in general anesthesia. The patient feels pain in the throat for two weeks after surgery. It takes 3-4 months to heal completely. Doctors do this surgery by using different techniques like cold knife dissection, electrocautery, and radiofrequency ablation to stop the bleeding during tonsil removal. It depends on the physical condition of the patient. 

Laser treatment:

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You can treat your tonsil stones by having laser treatment. This treatment is costly than others but effective to have a smooth tonsil surface again. 

FAQ:

How are tonsil stones different from tonsilloliths?

Tonsilloliths is the medical name for tonsil stones. They are not different terms. 

When do we remove tonsils? 

Removing tonsils is not the only option. You can consult your doctor and then decide what would be the better option for you. Treating tonsil stones is easy and affordable. But if you have sleeping issues and severe infection then you can go for surgery. 

Is laser treatment a better option or surgery?

Surgery involves dissection and anesthesia that can be risky. It takes a month to recover. On the other hand, in laser treatment, you don’t need to shed your blood for tonsil removal. Doctors use laser rays to remove the tonsil stones and make the surface smooth so that no stones can form again. 

Conclusion:

Tonsil stones are not a life-threatening problem. It seems a serious one but it is not! One can detect this health problem by noticing the symptoms like irritation, sore throat, bad breath, and ear pain. The treatment of this problem is simple and easy. You can cure it by using natural remedies as well. The only way to avoid this problem is to take good care of your oral health. Regular water flossing, tooth brushing, and an antibacterial mouthwash can save you from having tonsil stones. You can choose any Waterpik flossing product as they offer quality products with advanced features. If you have serious concerns, you can visit your doctor. 

 

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Cory Obrien

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