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Updated: Jul 9, 2026

CO2-Lasertonsillotomy Under Local Anesthesia in Adults
Published on: November 6, 2019
Relationship between the presence of tonsilloliths and halitosis in patients with chronic caseous tonsillitis
A C Dal Rio1, A R Franchi-Teixeira, E M D Nicola
1Dental Surgeon/Doctoral Student in Medical Sciences, Department of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-970, Brazil.
Objective:
To study the volatile sulphur compounds (VSC) halitometry profile in a population with chronic caseous tonsillitis (CCT) and halitosis and to evaluate the relationship between the presence of a tonsillolith and abnormal halitometry in this population.
Design:
Clinical prospective non-randomised study.
Subjects And Methods:
Forty-nine patients with halitosis and CCT, 17 male (35%) and 32 female (65%), were selected among patients referred for CO(2) laser cryptolysis. Anamnesis, physical examination and VSC halitometry were carried out. Halitometry values less than 150 ppb of VSC were considered normal.
Results:
Patients were divided in two groups: Group A - normal halitometry (41 patients - 83.7%) and Group B - abnormal halitometry (8 patients - 16.3%). Halitometry results in Group B were 5.2 times (429%) higher than in Group A and the majority of the patients with abnormal halitometry presented with a tonsillolith at the moment of examination. A tonsillolith was present in 75% of the patients with abnormal halitometry and only 6% of patients with normal halitometry values.
Conclusions:
The presence of a tonsillolith represents a tenfold increased risk of abnormal VSC halitometry and can be considered as a predictable factor for abnormal halitometry in patients with CCT.
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