severely decayed tooth

I have two teeth that are very decayed. They are actually not "teeth" any more,they have broken off at the gum line. There is just a huge hole that food collects in. If I press on the gums, a terrible smelling discharge comes out. I assume, no, I am sure that this is pus. This problem has been about five years in the making. I am finally scared enough to go to a dental surgeon next month. My question is, can this infection be poisoning my system? The discharge started about 6 months ago. There is no pain, or warmth around the gum. I have been brushing the area vigorously in order to dislodge any food particles, then I swish full strength Listerine around to cleanse the area. Ok...what do you think?