What happens when the dentist drains and irrigates your teeth?

See below: If a tooth is abscessed or the dental pulp (nerve) is dying, a dentist will open the pulp chamber (inside the tooth) to 'drain' the infected contents and then irrigate the pulp chamber/canal to kill bacteria within the tooth. This procedure provides pain relief and reduces infection.

Endodontics: If you are getting a root canal treatment because of an infection, the dentist will clean out all of the nerve tissue in that tooth and will irrigate with a special solution the tooth to drain any pus or bacteria inside your tooth.