This bacteria will eventually spread from the root of the dead tooth into the tissue that is below and create a pocket of pus - the abscess. Gum disease is also a cause for a tooth becoming abscessed. Gum diseases causes the gums to pull back and away from teeth, leaving pockets behind. When one of the pockets becomes blocked, the bacteria can grow and spread, or get backed up. Sometimes, you can save the tooth with a root canal, even though it is normally lost later on due to an abscess of the bone that surrounds the fracture. The last type of fracture is the most difficult to deal with. Vertical apical root fractures occur with the tip of the root, and can cause you severe to intense pain, even if you ve had the nerve removed with a root canal. The fear of pain in dentistry is so high in fact, that many people fail to go to the dentist until their condition becomes so severe that they have no other choice than to see a dentist. A majority of individuals are terrified of the dental chair, although once they are numb, they sometimes fall asleep. Once the decay has reached the pulp, it will keep eating away until the pulp has died. Once it dies, the toxins from the decay will be released into the root tip and make it s way into the jawbone. If not taken care of properly, the jawbone can become infected, which can lead to death in rare cases. To fix this problem, the dentist will need to perform a root canal. These products work quickly, although they may not be able to help if the infection has spread or has gotten so bad that the tooth is literally dying. Another way to stop the pain is to use Tylenol or aspirin. If you are going this route, you should use tablets that dissolve. Simply take the tablet and put it in your mouth, then use your tongue to hold it against your tooth. When someone asks for a root canal on the other hand, most of us, including dentists, find it to be very absurd to say the least. Although many aren t aware of this, root canals have been around for many generations. Many years ago, ancient civilizations used this method to save teeth that would have been lost otherwise.