Taking out your Tonsil Stones is an already difficult task, but it can be made much worse if you have a sensitive gag reflex. It’ll likely take you twice as long to retrieve the stones and you’ll probably have to deal with a lot of frustration in doing so.

If I was in the same situation then I would probably give and just settle with their symptoms. So it’s a good thing I know of some other methods that make removal a little less of a struggle.

Coughing

This may sound quite simple, and even a little stupid, but coughing can be a great way to remove your Tonsil stones. Provided you cough hard enough of course.

It only really works for stones that are already quite loose but if you have no interest in buying any fancy removal tools then it’s ideal. It’ll also take quite a bit of practise to gauge how forceful you need to be – please don’t cough too hard and hurt yourself!

Even though you can ideally do this anywhere you want and at any time, I would stick to doing it privately. Coughing violently at work could cause some distress among your colleagues, with them possibly thinking there is something seriously wrong with you.

Of course you could just explain to them what the problem is, but I doubt this is another hassle you’ll want to deal with.

Salt Water/Apple Cider Vinegar Gargle

I’ve grouped these two solutions together because they’re both effectively doing the same thing. With the ACV being a little more effective and the salt water being more convenient.

Both have antibacterial properties which could help break down some of the tonsil stones as well as fight off sulphur producing bacteria which cause their development in the first place. So not only will you be removing your tonsil stones, but you’ll also be preventing future ones as well.

However in saying that, it’s actually the gargling that will help most. The solution will be able to penetrate your tonsil crypts and loosen the stones out of place, hopefully forcing them to fall out.

You’ll need to mix the solution together so it’s not the most convenient but it’s easily one of the most effective.

What you do is add the salt water/ACV to about 8 ounces of water and gargle so it reaches your tonsils. Do this for about 15 seconds each and repeat until all the water is gone.

Eating Certain Foods

There are actually quite a few foods that you can eat to help remove your tonsil stones. This is because of their antibacterial properties. So like the above method, they can help break down and prevent tonsil stones from forming.

Here’s some of the foods you should eat:

• Garlic
• Apple
• Lime/lemons
• Onion

Out of them all, the garlic and onion are probably the most effective so I would try and incorporate them into your diet more so than the rest. Of course that’s up to you, if you would enjoy a lime/lemon flavoured water in the morning then go ahead.

They all work so take advantage of whichever one suits you best.

Conclusion

Those are just some of the methods that will help with your gag reflex. There are more, including a few tools you can use, but I figured these would the easiest to incorporate into your everyday.

Hopefully you’ll find them as helpful as I have!

Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net