>from Oracle 236-08:
The Usenet Oracle has pondered your question deeply.
Your question was:

> Oh Magnificent Oracle, whose wisdom teeth impact the whole world with
> dental agony,
>
> I haven't had a dental checkup in ten years. Is it worth it to go in,
> or should I just blow my jaw off with a shotgun and be done with dental
> floss once and for all?

And in response, thus spake the Oracle:

} Comparison of Dental Checkup Techniques:  A Field Study by the Oracle,
} MD, DDS, PHD, MS, BS, CPA, and a BMF besides.
}
} One hundred mortal subjects were selected based on their lack of dental
} checkups over a period no less than five years previous to this date.
} This was accomplished by the convenient method of rounding up people
} found in college computer labs on Friday and Saturday nights, and giving
} those people Breathalyzer(TM) tests.  Those for whom the Breathalyzer
} machine turned sickly green were selected as subjects.
}
} Fifty of the subjects were selected at random to receive a dental
} checkup via Method A (dentist), while the others received Method B
} (twelve-gauge).  The experiment was triple-blind - i.e., the subjects
} did not know at any time which treatment they were receiving, the
} experimenters did not know at any time which treatment they were
} administering, and the Oracle has consistently disavowed knowledge of
} the entire experiment.
}
} Criteria listed below were checked during treatment and at various times
} afterwards, as appropriate.
}
} Criteria               Method A                Method B
} --------               --------                --------
} patient expressed      yes, quite loudly       patients' expressions
}   pain during                                    were priceless during
}   treatment                                      treatment
} patient requested      yes, quite loudly       patient seemed too
}   painkillers                                    surprised to react
}   during treatmen
} patient was able       yes, some left early    patients were kept for
}   go home same day                               further supervision
} patient expressed      yes, there were         no patient spoke out
}   negative feelings      complaints              against their
}   about treatment                                treatment
}   afterwards
} patient mentioned      no such comments        all patients sat in
}   looking forward to                             chair, quietly
}   next treatment                                 looking forward
} mortality rate         zero percent            102 percent (one
}   within a week                                  experimenter was
}                                                  accidentally shot)
} lawsuits filed         three                   forty-four
}   within a week
}
} As is clear from the data above, Method B is superior to Method A in
} almost all respects.  Method B is less expensive, much simpler and
} quicker, and leads to far fewer complaints on the part of the patient.
} Further study is likely to reveal that Method B can be administered by a
} "dentist" with far less experience than that required by Method A - that
} is, a duck-hunting license will suffice in lieu of a DDS.
}
} You owe the Oracle all that dental floss you won't be needing.