Article

Tonsillolith as a halitosis-inducing factor.

Preventive Dentistry, Kyushu Dental College, Department of Preventive Dentistry, Kitakyushu 803-8580, Japan.
British dental journal (impact factor: 0.92). 04/2005; 198(5):263-4. DOI:10.1038/sj.bdj.4812116 pp.263-4
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT Halitosis, or bad breath, is a common concern for many people. The main causes are known to be periodontal disease and tongue coating. We present a case of an incidental tonsillolith occurrence, which was a halitosis-inducing factor. Our results show that tonsilloliths should be considered as a possible cause of halitosis.

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    Article: [Nasopharyngeal tonsillolith: a report of 31 cases].
    D Ben Salem, B Guiu, C Duvillard, J F Couaillier, F Ricolfi
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    ABSTRACT: Nasopharyngeal tonsilloliths are less well known to radiologists than palatine tonsil lithiases. The possibility of routinely available fine slices during CT scans of the head and neck prompted a retrospective study on the causes and radiological signs and patterns of nasopharyngeal tonsilloliths. A total of 515 CT scans were retrospectively re-examined looking for calcifications of the posterior wall of the nasopharynx. One patient with this type of calcification underwent a cerebral MRI as part of the etiological workup of his faintness, which also provided a study of the nasopharyngeal wall. The size, density, and position of these calcium concretions were analyzed with CT in all cases. In 31 patients (18 men, 13 women), we discovered one or several calcifications in the pharyngeal mucous area, between 2 and 5.5 mm in size, with a median density of 202 HU. In two cases, we observed that these calcifications adhered to an adenoid cyst, whereas in three cases, the patients had both palatine tonsil and nasopharyngeal calcifications. None of the 31 patients had previously had an adenoidectomy. Sagittal CT and MRI images clearly localized all these calcifications before the pharyngobasilar fascia. The position of these nasopharyngeal calcifications in front of the pharyngobasilar fascia means that a calcified vestige of the notochord can be ruled out. Moreover, the simultaneous presence of nasopharyngeal tonsil and palatine tonsil calcifications in three patients is an additional argument for considering these calcifications of the posterior wall of the nasopharynx as tonsilloliths, all of which, representing 6% of the CTs in our series, were asymptomatic. The nasopharyngeal tonsilloliths are stones less than 1 cm in size lodged in the pharyngeal tonsils that are frequently detected on CT when there are no clinical symptoms.
    Journal de Radiologie 03/2007; 88(2):259-62. · 0.42 Impact Factor
Data provided are for informational purposes only. Although carefully collected, accuracy cannot be guaranteed. The impact factor represents a rough estimation of the journal's impact factor and does not reflect the actual current impact factor. Publisher conditions are provided by RoMEO. Differing provisions from the publisher's actual policy or licence agreement may be applicable.

Keywords

bad breath
 
halitosis-inducing factor
 
incidental tonsillolith occurrence
 
main causes
 
periodontal disease
 
possible cause
 
tongue coating
 

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