Here is a classic left side tonsil stone, originating from a deep crypt in the left tonsil. It is basically a collection of food, salivary debris and shed cells from the tongue and mouth lining. It gets compressed into the crypts of the tonsils during the swallowing action and forms firm to hard lumps, which decay over time, releasing a bad taste and smell. Tonsil removal under local anaesthetic spray (laser tonsillotomy)gets rid of the crypts and therefore the tonsil stones, although more than one procedure may be required. More than half of my tonsil patients cite this as their main reason for coming to see me!