DEAR DR. GOTT: My 16-year-old son gets little almost hard balls in his throat. Yellowish in color, they are usually a little larger than a grain of sand. They are not hard but not soft, either. Today, he choked up one that was larger than usual and pink. Any idea what they could be?

DEAR READER: Your son may be experiencing tonsil stones. These are compressed particles of bacteria, food and other debris that get caught in the tonsils. His latest one was pink, suggesting that there was some irritation and mild bleeding into the tonsillar stone. Make an appointment for him with his physician to discuss the situation. Perhaps a referral to an ear-nose-and-throat specialist is in order, especially if he has other symptoms such as a sore throat, swollen tonsils, bad breath or difficulty swallowing. [Read more...]