I am a 58-yr old female, with a tooth abscess of a root-canaled, crowned tooth for over a year now, and have been self-draining the gum boils when they appear. I went for several months without pain and thought it had healed. However, the infection continues. I have been in the process of moving, changing jobs, and dealing with lots of stress, so I have put off going to a dentist. I have always been active, though, (former runner, etc.) and have noticed shortness of breath-- particularly when carrying a load upstairs--that is totally uncharacteristic of me. My doctor thinks it's asthma, but I'm wondering if the long-term abscess is to blame for the SOB. What do you think?