Totally agree about the toothpaste thing—made a bigger difference than I expected. I tried saltwater rinses for a while, and yeah, they're gentle, but the relief didn't last long enough for me. OTC gels were better, but honestly, what really helped was flossing more gently and regularly. I used to rush through it, and that just made things worse. Once I slowed down and was careful, my gums calmed down a lot. Might be worth a shot if you haven't tried yet...
"Once I slowed down and was careful, my gums calmed down a lot."
This is spot-on advice. I had a similar experience—used to floss like I was trying to saw through wood or something, haha. It wasn't until my dentist pointed out that gums are actually pretty delicate tissue that I realized how much damage I was doing by rushing through it.
One thing I'd add, though, is to check your floss type. For ages, I used those waxed flosses because they glide easier, but weirdly enough, switching to unwaxed floss made a noticeable difference for me. Apparently, unwaxed floss can grip plaque better and clean more thoroughly without needing as much pressure. It felt strange at first—like flossing with thread—but after a week or two, my gums were way less irritated.
Also, if you're still struggling with sensitivity even after gentle flossing and toothpaste changes, you might want to look into your toothbrush bristles. Soft bristles are usually recommended for sensitive gums, but even then, some brands label their brushes as "soft" when they're actually pretty stiff. I switched to an ultra-soft brush (the kind you'd think is meant for babies or something), and it was a total game-changer. Brushing gently in small circles instead of scrubbing back and forth also helped a ton.
Saltwater rinses never did much for me either—felt nice at first but didn't last long enough to justify the hassle. OTC gels were decent short-term fixes, but honestly, tweaking my brushing and flossing habits made the biggest difference overall.
Sensitive gums can be super frustrating—I totally get it—but hang in there. Small adjustments really do add up over time...
Totally agree about the floss type—I switched to unwaxed a while back and noticed a difference too. One other thing that helped me was using an alcohol-free mouthwash. Regular ones always made my gums feel tight and irritated afterward, but alcohol-free felt way gentler. Might be worth trying if you're still dealing with sensitivity...
"Regular ones always made my gums feel tight and irritated afterward, but alcohol-free felt way gentler."
I've tried alcohol-free mouthwash too, but weirdly enough, it still left my gums feeling a bit off. Honestly, plain warm saltwater rinses have been the gentlest for me—cheap and simple, less anxiety about ingredients...
Saltwater rinses are definitely underrated—I mean, they're like the OG of gum care, right? If you're still having issues though, maybe try an OTC gel with hyaluronic acid...it helps soothe irritation and promotes healing. Worked wonders for me when my gums were acting up.
