Smelly Mouth

LegacyUser

Strange one this.

I have fairly good oral hygiene in that I brush twice a day and floss (almost daily) and use mouthwash daily and visit hygienist evry 6 months.

Occasionally (over days) I get a strange taste in my mouth (despite brushing and mouthwash) but then what happens is a bit gross, I will cough up a tiny ball of what looks like food (about 3-4 mm in diameter and squashy). I take it out of my mouth and the smell from it and my fingers is awful - like rotten sheite !

The bad taste then goes away. Unfortunately i can't tell where the food is gathering (in my throat or mouth) but no matter how hard I cough and gurn it seems to find its way loose when its ready and not before.

What the hell is this and does it happen to others ?

I'm conscious that I probably smell like a cats 4rse as well.

Any suggestions ?

biko

Visit a dentist. After I had a wisdom tooth pulled it was hole left in which old food would sit.
The dentist then gave me a syringe to flush it out until it healed up.

Or a nose ear throat specialist.

Miss Fluff

Get to a dentist

watna

Miss Fluff wrote: »

Get to a dentist

+1.. it's the only way to sort it out. Sounds like some kind of infection.

kmick

http://www.doctorhoffman.com/xlith.htm

something to do with your tonsils according to this. Getting them out is a solution apparently but its a fairly serious op in adults.

orchidsrpretty

Do you smoke OP? I know alot of people who get these little balls, they truly are disgusting. I too use to cough one up every month or so, and they stank! since I have given up smoking it has never happened to me again!

radioactiveman

Hi I think they're called tonsiloliths (after tonsil + lith, greek for stone). They are manky alright. I think the only thing you can do is gargle as much as possible with listerine or mouthwash. Apparently they form in the folds of your throat so it's impossible to get rid of them without doing damage. I found this on the interweb:

From what I've read, they occur when the liquid which is discharged from the tonsils builds up instead of clearing due to it getting stuck in some people's tonsils. This fluid solidifies and grows larger until a tonsil stone forms. Unfortunately, this provides wonderful conditions for bacteria to live in, which break down the stones into sulphurous compounds (which is why they smell horrible if they break open). The only thing you can do to permanently stop them is to have your tonsils removed, but unless they occur frequently/cause bad breath/are regularly uncomfortable on the throat, it's nothing to worry about. Also, they're meant to be more common during teenage years then reduce in frequency. I've always had them, but very infrequently (like one every 2 months or so), but four have come out this week!

One thing that might cause it is a food allergy which causes you to produce more phlegm etc than usual around the tonsil area. This might be complete BS but at the moment I am giving up milk and dairy products to see what effect it has because I have a feeling they do this to me... just a thought.

Bottle_of_Smoke

I find it satisying trying to get them out using just my tongue! I'm glad to find out they're harmless anyway.

Pythia

It's a tonsilolith. Nothing to worry about.

Beruthiel

This is not a medical forum.
Go to your doctor if you are worried.
B