It may take several months for a tooth abscess to develop. Once an abscess has formed, noticeable pain and swelling usually occur around the affected tooth. If left untreated, it may take a few more weeks or months for the infection to spread to other tissues and cause complications. It usually takes a long time for a tooth infection to spread to the jaw and other areas of the head and neck.
With that in mind, you can usually be treated for a dental abscess within a few weeks or months of feeling pain and still leave with little more than a scar. The bacteria enter through a dental cavity or a chip or crack in the tooth and spread to the root. Bacterial infection can cause swelling and inflammation at the tip of the root. Dental sealants are made of plastic or other dental materials and coat the top of the back teeth to act as a physical barrier between bacteria and the tooth.
If the abscess ruptures, the pain can improve a lot, making you think that the problem has disappeared, but that you still need dental treatment. For example, fluid may need to be drained to remove pus from a tooth abscess that has spread to the cheek.
