I can't really floss but my dental hygienist adviced me to use one of those really soft and slim tooth picks made of plastic. They have worked really well and my gums no longer bleed. I used to have really rotten looking teeth because of drinking loads of tea but now I brush my teeth with an electrical toothbrush once a day and the teeth look quite a lot better as a result. With this device I tend to use tooth gel, because paste seems to break down more easily. This gel is also claimed to reduce some pains associated with sensitive gums. I also started to use mouth rinse by this drug company so I'm completely hooked No I have get rid of the products by this company because they seem to support a group of experts that have taken the cause of making diets like BTD a laughing matter. Where I live the active agent in those dental products is potassium nitrate but in some other countries they use other agents like potassium chloride, triclosan and strontium. The use of sodium lauryl sulfate seems to be variable and I have tried to avoid this agent because it seems to trigger sores. I think I will move on to using a paste with CoQ10.

I, too am a nonnie and have had gum problems. I find that the inflammation seems to be in direct relation to my hormones. Natural progesterone has helped me in that area, significantly.

I have recently been using Uncle Harry's All Natural Tooth Powder. Ingredients: Calcium carbonate (natural chalk), mustard seed powder, sea salt, natural plant essences.
http://www.uncleharrys.com

Alpha Lipoic Acid makes a huge improvement.  CB.