In its simplest sense, a tooth abscess is an infection of the root of the tooth or of the tooth itself. When the root of the tooth is dead, a dentist is most likely to clean the tooth and the root canal before filling the tooth and root canal. In this case, a tooth abscess is likely to form in the root and the infection generates puss. The puss is responsible for most, if not all, of the symptoms of a tooth abscess, including swelling, nerve sensitivity, and pain. On the other hand, when the root of the tooth is still alive, the infection upsets the nerve of said tooth and causes pain. Tooth decay begins as the tooth abscess forms in the soft pulp located in the very center of the tooth. An abscess usually occurs on just a single tooth, but delayed treatment may result in the infection of the surrounding teeth.

There are many factors that contribute to the formation of tooth abscesses, the most primary of which is proper oral hygiene, or the lack of it, to be more precise. People who observe good oral hygiene are not prone to experience any tooth problems. To take a closer look, the succeeding sentences offer an explanation for the occurrence of tooth abscesses. Firstly, tooth abscesses are formed when the affected tooth had dental work ? such as a crown, filling, or root canal ? previously performed on it.

On these occasions, the tooth had been compromised by infection via a cavity. In other words, the germ responsible for the inevitable formation of the abscesses was not entirely killed when the tooth was fixed. Secondly, time delay causes the formation of tooth abscesses. If, for example, a germ is left alive and undetected for some time, the immune system is weakened and control over any sort of infection becomes difficult, if not impossible. Thirdly, tooth abscesses are formed as aging continues. Like any other part of the body, an aging tooth is more prone to diseases than a new tooth. As the tooth's weakness progresses over time, a microscopic crack or a gum withdrawing from the tooth can easily allow infection to set in.

Once a tooth abscess is formed, a variety of symptoms mark the different stages of its development. Firstly, there is the feeling that the tooth is becoming loose and/or that the tooth is positioned higher than usual. These symptoms are due to the initial puss build-up. Secondly, there is a feeling of discomfort and/or pain, which varies in degree. Thirdly, if still left untreated, the tooth falls out after the infection eats away the jaw and gum near it. Fourthly, in the highly progressed state, the infection leads to facial disfigurement and spreads throughout the body and causes complications, including death on rare occasions. Before symptoms worsen, it is best to have a tooth abscess treated ? and one of the most recommended options is the root canal relief.

Under the root canal relief, the affected tooth undergoes treatment for the purging of the tooth abscess. The first thing that is done is the drilling out of the root canal and the infected area. This way, the dentist can see just how far the infection has spread. Then, the infection is cleansed out and, finally, the tooth is resealed. To ensure that the infection dies, the insides of the tooth are painted with a germ killer; thus, antibiotics are seldom prescribed after root canal relief is performed. However, rest is required to allow the tooth to heal and the rest of the immune system to recover.