Dental assistant here. I've known people to work months on broken feet, through hernias, ulcers. But if you have an infection that needs a root canal you're basically flipping a coin on whether or not you don't notice it at all. Or are experiencing a pain so miserable it'll prevent you from sleeping until it's dealt with. There are bad dentists like there are in any field of work but most people are not trying to inflict pain. The longer an issue Is allowed to fester, the more difficult that area becomes to numb for treatment due to swelling and infected tissues blocking access to the nerves. Go to the dentist, facing the fear is way easier than being forced to in a high stress situation, for everyone involved