My Tooth Hurts

Okay.  I am a big chicken.  I hate dentists.  Always have and probably always will.  Senior year in college, 1989, was the last time I really went to the dentist on a regular basis.  After that, I quit going.  Parents weren't footing the bill anymore and nothing was hurting so I really didn't see a need to go.  Fast forward until December 2005.  I break a corner off one of my molars.  I break down and go.  I have to find  a new dentist because it turns out after 16 years my old dentist retired.  I find a new dentist and he fixes it and it wasn't all that bad.  He asks me when the last time I had my teeth cleaned was.  I told him I wasn't quite sure.  He tells me to get in and get them cleaned.  Okay.  Of course I left and nothing was hurting so once again, I never go back.  Fast forward to this past December.  I have a tooth in my head that is absolutely killing me.  I have never had a pain like this.  Break down again and go to dentist.  He tells me that I either need a root canal or have it pulled.  My wife had just picked up dental insurance but for root canals, it doesn't kick in for one year.  Plus my wife has just had two root canals and crowns.  So currently we owe her dentist over $2,000.  Turns out that my dentist doesn't even accept our insurance.  Abscess is back and hurting like a mofo.  I have got to call my wife's dentist today and see if I can't get in.  If I don't get in soon I will have to pull a Tom Hanks and knock this dang thing out myself.  I think I would rather get kicked in the crotch than have this pain.