May I suggest a water pic and a very soft Gum brand toothbrush if you really don't want an electric toothbrush. I have changed my routine from just floss and brush to floss, water pic and an electric toothbrush that not only times how long you brush, but how much pressure you use. It flashes red if you use too much pressure. This routine has helped the health of my gums immensely. My last visit after doing this for 6 months resulted in less tarter and the dentist was very pleased.

Water Pik. You can adjust the strength/force of the spray and it will get out everything you miss with brushing and flossing. I use all three (Sonicare, floss, water pik on the advice of my dentist.

I use a Sonicare because I was brushing too hard. All you do is rest it against your teeth, don’t scrub. I use that the GUM picks and floss.

My dentist hands out Colgate Ultra Soft and Soft - With his name printed on them ;0). Like these in this type style....

DH has them too, we have different dentists but in the same office.

I also have a Sonicare that I use part of the time, alternating with the manual and a WaterPik/Water Flosser combo that I just bought about 6 months ago after not having a water appliance for several years.

I've always been a regular flosser. I'd like to be doing just about anything other than sitting in that chair while my hygienist works on my teeth. My first cleaning since buying the water flosser is in another week. If I keep the appt and not postpone it, I'll find out if I'm in and out any more quickly since moving on from manual flossing. I do like the noticeably clean feeling of having used the water flosser. We've been eating berries regularly this year, Oh My...the blueberry seeds that appliance finds that I didn't know were there ;0)

I use the softest Oral B toothbrush and recently started using a Water Pik. It has changed my life! My mouth is very small and flossing has always been so difficult for me. The learning curve was about a week. I bought it on Amazon.

My dentist gave me a Sonicare years ago, but I couldn’t stand the vibration of it.

I use an interdental brush like this one to get gunk out of the big gaps between my back teeth. I go in from the side to poke out the big stuff, then follow up with brushing and flossing. I never though it was the job of the brush to get stuff out between my teeth; that was the job of floss, and now the interdental brush.

I'm noise sensitive and refuse to use an electric toothbrush in the morning. I tried... I just couldn't.

But several years ago, the dental hygienist told me to pay attention to the direction in which I was brushing--I was apparently brushing back and forth, making the receding worse.

My hygienist recommended a cordless Waterpik that is waterproof so you can use it in the shower to keep splatter contained. She said women prefer it while men don't care about splatter. Obviously women clean the bathroom mirrors in most homes.

Nest time you brush your teeth, take note of where you start. Humans are creatures of habit and we generally start in the same quadrant of our mouth over and over, giving that the most attention and the others progressively less. Purposely begin your brushing in a new quadrant each time - you might find the debris being cleaned out better.

I'm a Sonicare user and echo what ded-tired said - there is no pressure needed. My gums were beginning to reced years ago and after some length of time using the Sonciare, that is no longer an issue. The scrubbing was the culprit for me.

My sister in law has been a dental hygienist for over 40 years. She says electric toothbrushes are far superior to manual and if you switch to electric you are already way ahead of the game. Of course flossing and/or waterpik along with brushing.

I bought an off brand Waterpik and never got the hang of it and had to refill it too often—seemed more trouble than it was worth so I went back to flossing.

Oakley——might you be brushing and flossing too much?

Morz, that's exactly the type of brush I think will help & I just now ordered it. Thanks! I'm going to do some research on the water pics before I buy one, but I think I'll end up getting one from the good reviews you all are giving.

DLM, I always begin in the front so they'll be whiter. lol And now that I have the receding gums on the bottom I no longer go up and down thinking i'll make it worse. However, I just read we are to brush our teeth at a 45 degree angle so the bristles will go in the gums to get more plaque out. I had no idea.

Did your receding get any better? I'm trying to keep mine from getting worse.

I'm the lucky one in my family with fillings and root canals while DH and adult sons have never had a cavity. Well, one of our dogs did accidentally knock out DH's two bottom teeth a couple of years ago while playing catch with them, so he knows what a shot in the gums feels like. :)

The dog threw the ball??? ‘Must have been a sight to see. ;-)

Oakley, I bought this water flosser combo.

It was discounted $25 at Costco that week and has been again a couple of more times since I purchased mine. I'm happy with it. If you do buy one, just start at low pressure and slowly work your way up. If it isn't comfortable, you've dialed it up too far too quickly - just become accustomed at your own speed.

LOL chickadee. DH threw, dog caught and when he brought the ball back they collided when DH was bending over to get it. Same thing happened to me years ago when I bent down to get the ball and my Pointer got me smack in the back of the head, and almost knocked me out.

Morz, I don't have room for another gadget in the bathroom but it looks like a nice setup.

Joanie, before the gum started receding I only brushed twice a day and was a lazy flosser. Since switching to the soft bristles which won't thoroughly clean my teeth I have to brush after I eat, unless it's pudding or yogurt. lol The brush is so soft there's no damage being done, and the bristles are the same length and type. The new brush has different lengths which should help tremendously.

I only use toothpaste in the morning and evening, daytime is water only along with rinsing.

I really don't want to use anything that takes up more of my time, but I will if the toothbrush isn't a 100%.

My husband was told the same thing and he switched to a Sonicare. An electric toothbrush was actually suggested because of his problem. We both try to brush 3 times a day. We also like the little floss holder thingies to use when flossing. Once you have your routine down pat, it really doesn't take long at all to brush and the flossing is done only once per day. No time at all!