Does your partner reject your open mouth kisses? Do people lean away when you come close to them? If so, you might have bad breath. Or no one likes you — but that’s another story.
You might be confused as to why you have bad breath when you regularly brush your teeth. Apparently, brushing your teeth, flossing, and cleaning your tongue isn’t enough. I did all those things meticulously but my sister still complained about my breath after I leave our shared washroom in the mornings. My dentist never pointed out anything wrong and even praised me for my good oral hygiene during check-ups. Then one day, my tonsils felt irritated. With the help of a flashlight and mirror, I investigated inside my mouth. Something that resembled a sesame seed appeared to be stuck at the back.
According to my doctor, it was a tonsil stone. They form when food debris, saliva, mucus, (and anything that could be in your mouth) get together in the pits of your tonsil. Bacteria from this accumulation can emit a foul odor causing bad breath. If the stones are left untreated, they can cause an infection. Then antibiotics would be needed.
Since I didn’t have an infection, my doctor recommended me to just gargle salt water. It was a repulsive experience so I turned to Google for an alternate solution. Search results showed videos of people using a wet q-tip to poke around the tonsil, which pushed the stone out. They were riveting to watch like the addictive pimple popping videos. However, videos of removing tonsil stones are not as popular thus less available. Only one YouTube account, Tonsil Stone Man, stood out offering a total of 12 videos. Hence, I beg everyone to open up their mouths, check inside, and contribute to the next viral video trend if you can.
In case you would like to stay off the trending page of YouTube, here’s how to prevent tonsil stones:
- Regularly clean your mouth. This includes flossing, rinsing, gargling mouthwash, and brushing your teeth and tongue.
- Stay hydrated. This is recommended for every aspect of your health.
- Don’t smoke. I know old habits die hard but you’ll thank yourself for quitting.
- Remove your tonsils. This is a no-brainer.
If you already have your tonsils removed, you’re forever in the clear. And I’m jealous.
Featured Image via Jelleke Vanooteghem on Unsplash
