Symptoms include intense discomfort when consuming hot or cold beverages or when biting, as well as excruciating pain and swelling surrounding the tooth. If an abscessed tooth is not drained right away and the progression is not halted, it can lead to the spread of tooth infection to the rest of the body.  The signs of a spreading tooth infection include progressive enlargement of swelling to the cheeks and neck, fever, dehydration, diarrhoea, vomiting, increased heart rate and breathing rate and a general feeling of weakness.