White Ball-Like Substance in Cough: What Could It Be?

Question
Hello Dr. Aukerman,

My 14 year-old daughter frequently coughs up a small, white, ball-like substance that smells and tastes terrible. It feels like something is stuck in her throat, and she starts "hawking" until it's dislodged. I recall coughing these up when I was her age, and still do once in a great while.
We are just curious: what the heck are these things?

Thank You,
Cindy P  

Answer
She has cryptic tonsillitis so needs to see an ENT doctor.

Cryptic in the case of the tonsils refers simply to the tonsillar crypts which are little pitlike depressions in the tonsils. The causes and treatment of cryptic tonsillitis are basically no different than the causes and treatment of all tonsillitis.  Thus, cryptic tonsillitis may be hidden, concealed because it is down in the pits (of the tonsil) and may be causing apparent symptoms.