Severe tooth infection, cannot afford a dentist, need help.?

I'm an adjunct instructor, I do not receive medical insurance of any kind (meaning no dental) through work. One of my bad cavities, which I have been trying for months to save the money to have an appointment, has gotten suddenly worse. I honestly don't know what to do. It has gotten so bad I can barely talk, which means I cannot do my job, which means... Well I don't want to think of the alternative... I need advice, this has to be taken care of, soon, very soon.
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It sounds like a classic root canal case. Sometimes cavities evolve into needing root canals if not filled quickly enough, and unfortunately, the consequences are huge if you don't treat it right away. There are many things you can do if you don't have insurance. First of all, there are several "discount" plans, individual insurance plans, or other financing options (Capital One, Citibank, and Care Credit all offer a patient financing program that's usually interest free). Second, Medicaid (if your income is low enough) will cover some dental work - contact social services in your area to apply - the tradeoff, however, is that you have to see a dentist whose work will probably be somewhat questionable (the Medicaid network isn't great). Lastly, you can call around and ask different dentists for price quotes and payment options. Dentists know that in an emergency situation many patients just don't have the funds. My old office used to let people pay their bills over a full year without interest. The patient financing programs - through CareCredit, Capital One, or Citibank - you can find participating dentists by going to each bank's website, looking up their patient financing program, and using their "search dentists" feature. Individual dental insurance can be obtained through Delta Dental (called Delta Care Plan), Aetna, or Aflac; usually these plans cost anywhere from $50 to $200 per month and you can have coverage quickly (a few days from the application date). And if you have to, borrow money (if you can!)! If you don't take care of a cavity (or root canal situation) you will end up losing the tooth eventually. Not only that, but it can get infected, the infection can cause bone loss, the bone loss can cause you to lose surrounding teeth, and it just snowballs from there. Also, if you do develop a root canal infection, there is a rare condition that can cause sepsis (the bacteria leaks into your blood) which is life threatening, heart attack, or similar health problems. This would be rare, but it has happened. Good luck; I know what it's like not to have money for dental work. I wish you the best!
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