- Sensitivity to hot or cold
- Pain with biting or pressure
- Throbbing or severe pain
- Swelling
- Bad taste in mouth
No symptoms
If left untreated, the infection can travel through the tips of the tooth roots, and into the jawbone, where it can dissolve the bone and form a painful abscess. To determine if your tooth has an infected pulp, we’ll do a thorough examination, which may include x-rays. The exam sometimes includes checking the health of the pulp with a pulp tester. We may also apply heat or cold, or tap lightly on the tooth to observe sensitivity, look for changes in the tooth’s color, or press gently on the gums next to the tooth to check for pain. If we determine that you have an infected tooth, we’ll talk with you about treatment to remove the infection. A root canal therapy is a generally comfortable treatment that can save your tooth and keep your mouth healthy.