What Are Those Smelly “White Stones” in Your Mouth That Cause Terrible Bad Breath? (The Truth About Tonsil Stones)

You cough or clear your throat and suddenly a small, hard, foul-smelling white/yellowish lump comes out. It stinks so badly you almost everyone gags.

Those are tonsil stones (tonsilloliths) — and they are the #1 hidden cause of chronic bad breath that even brushing, flossing and mouthwash can’t fix.

What Exactly Are Tonsil Stones?

Tiny calcified deposits that form in the natural crevices (crypts) of your tonsils when:

• Food particles, dead cells and mucus get trapped
• Bacteria (especially anaerobic ones) feed on them
• Calcium, phosphorus and magnesium from saliva harden the debris into little “stones”

They can be as small as a grain of rice or as big as a pea.
Some people get one every few months, others produce dozens every week.

Why They Smell So Horrible

The bacteria inside tonsil stones produce volatile sulfur compounds — the same gases that cause rotting-egg breath. One tiny stone can make your breath smell worse than garlic for hours.