I have a tooth ache

The other day I had a patient come into my office with a tooth that was bothering her.  I took an x-ray and sure enough there was a large cavity that extended into the nerve of the tooth.  She told me this tooth had bothered her a month or so ago and she went to the doctor and they put her on an antibiotic.  She took the antibiotic and the tooth started feeling better at which point she put off going to the dentist.  She was in some pain when I saw her but due to time constraints we only prescribed her an antibiotic and some pain medicine and scheduled her for a time that worked better for her. 
The next morning she called and she said she was swollen and was going to the emergency room.  I knew exactly what they were going to tell her, GO BACK TO THE DENTIST.  We normally start at noon on Wednesdays and stay open until 7.  I came in to see her at 10.  She was very swollen.  I got her numb and did the root canal which turned out great!  But now she will have to wait for the antibiotics to kick in which usually takes 48 hours, and she will probably be swollen for a week or so.  Why am I telling you this?  Simple, if she had come in the first time her tooth hurt she would have avoided a visit to the ER and an emergency root canal and all the swelling.  A general rule with teeth.  If it hurts its most likely going to be expensive and the longer you wait the worse it will get.

That is all