Swollen Tonsils with White Spots

Tonsils are small gland like structures located deep inside the throat. The main function of the tonsils is to hold all the viruses and bacteria present in the mouth and thus prevent any infection. Basically, the white spots formed on tonsils are made up of mucus and calcium layers. When you have swollen tonsils with white spots, then you get a feeling that something has got stuck on the wall at the back of your throat. When flashlights are used closely inside the mouth, then the small spots within the throat are visible. Sometimes these spots get spread over the roof of the mouth as well.

How are White Spots Formed on Tonsils?

The surface of the tonsils contain a number of tiny pockets called tonsil crypts which are made up of soft tissue. The lining of this soft tissue is continuously getting mixed up with the saliva of our mouth. The digestive enzymes of saliva then break down the food particles that get trapped in the tonsil crypts. The broken carbohydrates or starch thus obtained combine with mucus and bacteria and hardens up to form the white spots of various size. White spots on tonsils swollen glands are also known as cryptic tonsils because the root of these spots are in the tonsil crypts. Read more on tonsil stones.

Causes and Symptoms

The factors that cause the infection of swollen tonsils with white spots are: bacteria that are present in the mouth, deposits of secreted mucus, residues of food substances and hyperactivity of salivary glands which results in enzyme action. In certain cases, dead white blood cells may also contribute in the formation of the white spots on swollen tonsils.

Apart from the inflammation of the tonsils and presence of yellowish to white spots or lumps on it, this condition has other accompanying symptoms. The most common symptom is bad breath. Even if you brush your teeth after every meal and use mouthwash, you will find that the bad breath is coming back within a few hours. These spots emit foul smell of sulfur compounds which results in bad breath. The larger the size of the white spot, the more it will emit foul smell. This is because as the spots or tonsil stones grow bigger, it tends to strengthen the odor. However, this does not mean that if you have bad breath then you are suffering from tonsil stones. Sore throat or strep throat is also quite common in this condition which makes swallowing painful. Pain in ear and itching sensation in the ear are often observed as the nerves of that area are all inter-connected. Bad taste within the throat and roof of mouth is also experienced in certain cases.

Removal of White Spots on Tonsils

There are several methods that are used for removal of white spots from the surface of the tonsils. Some of these methods can be done at home. Brushing the tonsils with the help of a toothbrush helps to remove the white spots. A medicine dropper which has a curved tip can also be used to remove the white spots if they are small in size. The curved tips suck out the calcium layers very easily. However, this method could be painful. The best method of removal of white spots of tonsil is irrigating the spots with salt water. For this, take an empty bottle of nasal spray, fill it up with warm water and salt and spray the solution over the spots. You will be able to get rid of the white spot without any pain.

If one or more of the spots grow bigger, you should not try to remove them at home, rather, consult a doctor. They often use ear curette to remove tonsil stones. Ear curette is a surgical instrument which consists of a long, thin metal stick with a small loop at one end. Tonsil stones removed manually provides temporary relief. For long time relief, these stones should be removed using laser surgery. For a permanent cure, a surgery known as tonsillectomy which involves removal of tonsils can be done. However, it should be done only if other treatments fail to show any results. You can also refer to swollen tonsil remedy.

Swollen tonsils with white spots that are small in size may not bother you much. Sometimes, they disappear on their own and do not require any treatment. However, the big ones create a lot of nuisance and need to be controlled as early as possible.