i will say, that one time i went to the dentist while having a flare, and i almost didn't make it through the cleaning, and i will never go again if i am flaring. i also always take something for pain before i go for even a cleaning, but if one is in the midst of a flare, we all know pain medicine does not help all that much. my dentist also swabs on the novacane before he touches me and i usually never feel a thing. live and learn, right?