If you don't get a filling
There's a chance that whatever tiny crack in the tooth you have will allow the inside of your tooth to get infected or rot. This is not good.

I used to hate the dentist, after I was given a temporary filling by my local NHS dentist, which came out a few days later (on Christmas Day too). I was in absolute agony, whereas before I had the work I was fine. As a result, the emergency dentist pulled the nerve and cleaned up the tooth.

I was supposed to go back to my proper dentist to get it looked at, but I was convinced he was an evil bastard, so didn't go. A year later I end up breaking that tooth in half (found a bone in some chicken...), but still didn't go to evil bastard dentist.

I got an abscess in the gum by that tooth some time after that, and eventually signed up with a local private dentist as I'd been struck off the evil bastard's NHS list. He was much nicer, but said he had to extract what was left of the broken tooth, so now I'm missing a molar. He said it could have been saved if I'd got it looked at from the start.

So, MTFU and get it done!
( Labia Majora You keep on talking but it makes no sense at all, Tue 16 Nov 2010, 10:25, 1 reply, 15 years ago)

urrrrrgh
but what i am reading there is, "before i had the work i was fine"... this is my concern, that the tooth is better now than it would be if i had a filling and started messing with it!

maybe i should go and see a private dentist in london and see what he says.

but then he might recommend MOAR fillings. in MOAR teeth. oh god. then what would i do?
( rachelswipe with a fork, Tue 16 Nov 2010, 10:26, Reply)

Well, my nice private dentist (I'm not rich, just on DenPlan)
Spotted a small hole in another molar, and recommended a filling. I agreed, and it was over in next to no time, and I've had no problems with my teeth since.
( Labia Majora You keep on talking but it makes no sense at all, Tue 16 Nov 2010, 10:32, Reply)

ok so basically everyone is saying
don't ignore it, and fillings aren't that bad, but the alternative is much worse. plus bonus sarcastic comments from tweedlechomp and tweedlekroney.

i'm going to have to do it, aren't i? doom. doom. needly doom.
( rachelswipe with a fork, Tue 16 Nov 2010, 10:36, Reply)

If you've got to your age without any major dental work, you're doing alright.
I had to have all of my wisdom teeth torn out a while ago, with my genuine 100% fear of needles. It was not fun. If I could do that, you can have a filling.

This response came from the serious answers division of the TweedleKroney Ask A Silly Question Bureau. We hope you have been satisfied with our business.
( Kroney, Tue 16 Nov 2010, 10:41, Reply)

Yeah, I had to have my impacted wisdom tooth out
not so much a fear of needles as of dentists. Oh, and it turns out, the penicillin they gave me to take the swelling down, I'm allergic to. That was a fun week...
(berk, Tue 16 Nov 2010, 10:43, Reply)

wisdom teeth also scare me
i only ever got one, which is part of the way out, but the dentist has never touched it because it doesn't hurt. the others never showed up. and they'd better not do, i don't want them messing up my nice straight teeth!!

this probably explains a lot, before one of you lot makes the joke. but i understand from friends that having wisdom teeth out is vile.
( rachelswipe with a fork, Tue 16 Nov 2010, 10:55, Reply)

It wasn't the most fun experience, no
partially because the first anaesthetic didn't work and I was horrendously ill from the penicillin. Once it was out though, I was all 'oh, what was I making a big fuss for?' - it was agonising for about 1 week every three months for over a year, and I just should have got it sorted out instead of being a big jessie.
(berk, Tue 16 Nov 2010, 10:58, Reply)

there is something to be said for MTFU
i don't do it at all well, myself!
( rachelswipe with a fork, Tue 16 Nov 2010, 11:01, Reply)