How to avoid getting tonsil stones?

I started getting tonsil stones a couple of weeks ago. I had NEVER experienced them before but now i can feel food getting stuck in my tonsils almost every time I eat (Btw if anyone knows why I started getting them so often all of the sudden I would be very grateful). Most of the time I am able to remove them with a Q-tip, although the process is not cute at all and involves a lot of gagging and drooling over the sink. However, sometimes although I can feel that something is stuck when I swallow and have a bad taste is my mouth, I can’t locate the stones and get them out. I saw a lot of posts here about water picks and tips to get the tonsil stones out more easily but I was wondering if there is anything that can be done to avoid them all together???? Since I started getting them so recently is it possible it’s something about my diet or change in lifestyle habits that is causing them? I try to keep a good oral hygiene although I’m not perfect on flossing and mouthwash, however this isn’t something new so I wonder why it would just now start causing so many stones. Thanks!