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Although tonsils sometimes have foul odor, it is
not clear to what extent this causes bad breath.
The appearance of a transient odor during infections of the tonsils
in children is common. Occasionally, tonsils emit a foul smelling
exudate when pressed, although they appear normal upon visual
examination. In some individuals, small
deposits of calcified material (bacteria and their debris, in particular)
accumulate in small cavities (crypts) on the surface of the tonsils. These
deposits break away from the tonsils, and are coughed up as little stones. The
medical term for these stones is "tonsillolith". These stones have an
odor similar to that which comes from infected gums.
People who cough up these stones and then smell them are sure that their breath
smells as bad as these stones, this is usually not the case. Tonsilloliths can be
alleviated by a medical treatment known as laser cryptolysis, in which the
crypts are lased. Tonsilloliths are not associated with any serious medical
problems, however, if you are concerned about them, you
should speak to a qualified physician.
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