What can you do to tell if you have an abscessed tooth?

Swelling: Swelling is one sign that you have an abscess. Sometimes, however, you can have an abscess with no swelling whatsoever... This occurs when the abscess is contained totally in the bone.

Symptoms or X-ray: Tooth pain can be from the live nerve inside a tooth or an abscess outside the tooth. Nerve pain is usually sharp and triggered by cold, hot, sweet or a crack. It is usually difficult to feel which tooth is the cause and can even refer to the other jaw. An abscess hurts when you bite, or push on the gum near tip of the root. It is usually easy to locate. Sometimes no pain if it self drained.

Pain: Pain to chewing , swelling of the gum are good clues.