I've never even heard of aloe toothpaste before this thread, but now I'm intrigued. Might have to look into it next time I'm at the store. Saltwater rinses have been a lifesaver for me too, especially after I had some dental work done a few years back. My gums were so sensitive afterward that even regular toothpaste felt like sandpaper.
Funny you mention softer toothbrushes—I switched to an ultra-soft bristle brush about a year ago, and it honestly changed everything. Before that, I'd always assumed firmer brushes cleaned better (don't ask me why...just seemed logical?), but my dentist gently corrected me on that one. Apparently, softer bristles are actually better at getting into those tiny spaces without damaging your gums. Who knew?
Silicone brushes sound interesting, though. Can't say I've tried them yet—do they feel weird? I imagine they'd be gentler, but I'm curious if they clean as thoroughly as traditional brushes. I might give one a shot just out of curiosity.
And yeah, baking soda was definitely too abrasive for me too. I remember trying one of those DIY baking soda pastes someone recommended online—it felt like scrubbing my teeth with gravel. Lesson learned there.
One other thing that really helped my gum sensitivity was switching mouthwash brands. Some of the stronger ones would sting my gums badly, but I found a mild alcohol-free rinse that's been perfect for daily use without irritation.
Anyway, thanks for the heads-up on aloe toothpaste—I love stumbling across new ideas here. Always something new to try out...
Aloe toothpaste can be soothing for sure, but just a heads-up—it doesn't always contain fluoride, which is pretty important for cavity prevention. If you're prone to sensitivity or gum issues, you might wanna alternate it with a fluoride toothpaste or at least double-check the ingredients. Silicone brushes are gentle, yeah, but personally I found they didn't leave my teeth feeling as clean as regular bristles...could just be me though.
I've been thinking about trying aloe toothpaste because my gums are pretty sensitive lately, but the fluoride thing worries me a bit. I definitely don't want cavities on top of gum problems, lol. Silicone brushes sound interesting too, but I get what you're saying about the clean feeling—I tried one once and it felt kinda weird, like it wasn't really scrubbing enough. Has anyone tried those softer bristle toothbrushes marketed specifically for sensitive gums? Wondering if they're a good middle ground...
I totally get where you're coming from with the silicone brushes—I tried one too and it felt like I was just rubbing my teeth with a weird rubber spatula, haha. It didn't feel like it was cleaning enough for me either. But I did switch recently to one of those super soft-bristle toothbrushes specifically for sensitive gums, and honestly, it's been a game changer for me. At first I was worried it'd be too gentle and wouldn't clean properly, but surprisingly my teeth still feel really clean afterward, without any irritation. Plus, my gums aren't bleeding as much as they used to.
About the aloe toothpaste thing, I had similar worries about fluoride. My dentist actually recommended using a fluoride rinse separately if I was going to go fluoride-free on toothpaste. So now I brush with something gentle and natural (currently trying aloe too, actually!) and then do a quick fluoride rinse afterward. Feels like the best of both worlds, honestly—my gums feel calmer, but I'm still getting cavity protection.
One other thing that's helped me is being extra gentle with flossing. I switched to those little interdental brushes (the tiny ones that look like mini bottle cleaners?) and they're way easier on my gums than regular floss. Less bleeding, less irritation, and weirdly satisfying to use, haha.
Have you tried those interdental brushes yet? Curious if anyone else finds them helpful or if it's just me being overly enthusiastic about tiny dental tools...
"Less bleeding, less irritation, and weirdly satisfying to use, haha."
Weirdly satisfying is exactly how I'd describe those interdental brushes too, haha. Honestly, I felt so skeptical at first—like, how could these tiny pipe-cleaner things possibly be better than floss? But now I'm hooked. My gums feel way happier, and I swear my dentist looked genuinely impressed last visit. Has anyone tried water flossers though? Been debating if they're worth the countertop space...
