I had a root canal done 2 years ago. Crown was ordered, but right before I was going to get the crown, I lost my health/dental insurance, so I didn't return to the dentist. On three separate occasions since then, a small portion of the tooth has broken off and come out. Now, half of the tooth is left and in the last 3 weeks, I have a painful lump on the gum below. It has pus in it, so I know it's infected. The leftover tooth moves a little, but isn't loose enough to pull out. I've taken a needle (lit with a lighter and dipped in alcohol) and drained the lump twice myself. I CANNOT go to a dentist. I have no insurance and am currently laid off. I'm lucky to be able to eat and have gas to get to job interviews literally, so please do not tell me I must go to a dentist or doctor. I simply can't. I have no choice but to self-treat. I need to know if I should continue to drain the lump (will it eventually go away?), or do I need to go one step further and pull the tooth? I'm thinking pulling it will get rid of the infection, but it will hurt like hell obviously so I'm not looking forward to that option. In the meantime, I'm using anti-bacterial mouthwash 2-3x a day and brushing/flossing very well 2-3x a day. Thank you in advance. Samantha