White poles on tonsils: causes and treatments

White spots on your tonsils are generally a sign of common bacterial or viral infections, such as tonsillitis, streptococcal angina or mononucleosis. White spots can be caused by tonsils, an harmless condition which also leads to bad breath.

If you have a bacterial or viral infection, the white spots of your tonsils can look like patches of a white liquid, also called amygdal exudats. This fluid is a sign that your tonsils fight an infection.

You can also have a sore throat, swollen tonsils, a tender neck, fever or fatigue.

Sometimes white spots can look like small white masses on your tonsils. The only other symptoms can be bad breath and the feeling that something is stuck on your tonsils.

White spots on your tonsils are generally caused by bacterial or viral infections. However, there are other causes without underlying infectious cause.

Tonsillitis

Amygdalite is an inflammation of the tonsils. It is generally a symptom of bacterial or viral infection, such as colds. Your tonsils can look red and you can have a sore throat and fever associated with white spots.

Strunge your throat

Streptococcal angina is an infection of the tonsils caused by Streptococcus pyogenes bacteria. If you have streptococcal angina, you can quickly develop a sore throat and fever. Your throat can also feel swollen. Streptococcal angina is easily spread between people and is more frequent in children.

Mononucleosis

Mononucleosis is a common viral infection caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Mononucleosis is also known as “kisses disease” or “mono”. It spreads through saliva, generally by sharing drinks, utensils and kisses. Mono symptoms can also include:

• Chronic fatigue
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Sore throat
• Fever
• Rash
• Reddish punctual spots on the roof of your mouth
• The inflated abdomen of an enlarged spleen

Amygdal stones

Amygdal stones are not caused by an infection and generally make you sick. These small white air spots are caused by debris taken in your tonsils. The main symptom of amygdal stones is the bad breath of bacteria that grow in debris. You can also feel the tonsil stone as a foreign body at the back of your throat.

White spots on your tonsils are generally a sign of a bacterial or viral infection, so it is a good idea to be checked by a health care provider to determine and treat the underlying cause.

You can expect the health care provider:

• Look at your tonsils for a whitish liquid or harder masses
• Find out about other symptoms you may feel, such as a fever or a sore throat
• Test your tonsils and throat for the presence of bacteria and viruses

A diagnosis can help prevent the spread of an infection to others. For example, streptococcal angina is very contagious when it is not treated, but it is generally not contagious about one day after starting antibiotics. Mononucleosis is also contagious by saliva, and knowing this diagnosis can help you avoid sharing drinks and utensils with others.

Treating your white spots depends on the cause.

Infection: White spots on your tonsils generally disappear as the underlying infection is resolved. If it is a bacterial infection, antibiotics can help erase infection earlier, which will get rid of your symptoms, including white spots on your tonsils.

Amygdal stones: The tonsils do not necessarily need treatment unless they bother you. You can try to gently remove all the tall stones visible with a cotton swab. You can also gargare with rinse in the mouth. If you prefer, you can visit your primary care provider or your dentist so that the stones are deleted.

Because white spots on your tonsils are generally the sign of an underlying infection, preventing them involves avoiding bacterial and viral infections that cause them. Practicing a good hand washing technique before meals and throughout the day is an excellent step that you can take to prevent infection.

White spots on tonsils are often a sign of tonsils, stroke angina or mononucleosis. Depending on the infection, you can also have sore throat, fever, swollen tonsils, fatigue or tender lymph nodes. White stains can also be tonsils, which are not dangerous but can cause bad breath.