Let’s be honest, an abscess tooth really hurts. Fortunately the tooth is easily treatable. The easiest way to explain an abscessed tooth is that it is a pocket of pus, caused by a bacterial infection, and the infection then moves bacteria from the root of the tooth to the tissue just below or near the tooth. In general, a tooth that has become abscessed is one whose underlying pulp (the tooth’s soft core) has become infected or swollen. The pulp contains nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue, and lies within the tooth. It extends from the crown of the tooth, to the tip of the root, in the bone of the jaws. In some cases, antibiotics are administered in an attempt to kill an infection. If antibiotics are ineffective and an abscess is shown to be damaging the pulp or lower bony structures, a root canal procedure may be needed to remove the dead pulp and restore the tooth to a healthy state.