It's not a stupid question at all! Once the nail starts curling around the foot, it can get painful for the hamster. I had this problem with my hamster Tango for a while and I was reluctant to take him to the vet to get them cut, since the journey there can be stressful and I didn't know if it was worth it. But when I took him, it was a quick procedure and he seemed perfectly happy. Obviously that might depend on your vet and how relaxed your hamster is, though
I just didn't like the idea of cutting them at home since I know it can end up making the nails worse (splitting etc) if you don't do it properly.
If the nails aren't that long yet, you could look for a small rough stone outside, bake it in the oven to sterilise it and place it in your ham's cage (in a place where they might go often) every once in a while to help keep them trim.