I believe that streptococcus bacterial infections can cause long term damage to the tonsils. It causes puts and holes, and people who have this often suffer from tonsil stones. You&#x27;ll know if you&#x27;ve have them because every so often you&#x27;ll cough one up and it causes halitosis.<p>Anyway, within the folds of the tonsils, streptococcus and other bacteria can survive, waiting for your immune system to become depressed, where it powers up again, making you ill.<p>Hence, you may think you have got rid of the infection, but it is just in stasis inside you.<p>This is one of the primary reasons that physicians recommend that you have your tonsils removed once you appear to have overly frequent repeats of strep throat.<p>Sadly, the removal of the tonsils often means that infections tend to end up further down the throat after having the tonsils removed, which being nearer to the lungs raises the risk of more serious illnesses later.