Whoa, Nellie - you really are getting pummelled right now! 

RA does carry with it a higher risk of heart-related illness, but I don't know about the tooth. Personally, it's difficult for me to clean my teeth properly, not just because the RA has affected the dexterity/mobility in my hands and arms, but my jaw joints have also been affected, so I can't open my mouth as wide as other people can. That means that I've had more cavities and teeth pulled, sometimes with a quite present infection, than the average person my age. In my case, the infection(s) stayed pretty localized in the mouth area. I've had infection in other places (bladder, sinus, etc.) and that makes me feel crappy and feverish, but when my teeth have been infected, I had no other symptoms than a bump on my gum and some pain in the affected tooth. However, given your stents, it's quite possible that you may need antibiotics before the procedure - I know people with mitral valve prolapse or recent joint replacements have to take antibiotics before going to the dentist to prevent the infection spreading into the rest of the body. Come to think of it, that seems to indicate that tooth infection might stay in the mouth until the area bleeds, either through dental cleaning or extraction. However, I'm certainly not a doctor, so it would be a good idea to check with your cardiologist, as well as your dentist, before you get this done. In the meantime, brush as frequently as possible and rinse with saltwater several times a day to keep your mouth as clean as possible (add salt to warm water, dissolve and rinse).

And I agree. Having a sense of humour - preferably as dark as possible - is an essential part of my coping mechanisms.  Hang in there and good luck!