I also had problems with my teeth years ago (plaque, tartar, etc.). Then i seriously started to take care of them, did tons of reading and experimenting with products. Whenever i finished brushing my gums would bleed, and i didn't even press hard. I'd also scrape the inside back teeth with my nail and get a lot of plaque on it. When the plaque hardens, it turns into tartar, and supposedly only dentists can remove tartar (that's what i've read and heard). I had tartar appearing along the gums, and a big piece between my upper left last two teeth. Then over a year ago i bought an electric toothbrush called ULTRASONEX. I saw it on the shopping channel, and the price was pretty low, so i got one. After a month of using it, the gums didn't bleed anymore like with the regular brush, and i haven't had gums bleeding ever since. The plaque also disappeared completely. And tartar started falling off my teeth! The huge chunk between my last two teeth fell off about 2 months after i got the brush. I also made the switch to all-natural cosmetics, and that included dental products (at the health-food store). The only toothpaste & mouthwash products i use now are made by a company called "JASON". They have fluoride & non-fluoride versions, i use the non-fluoride ones. The ingredients are all-natural. My fave toothpaste is HEALTHY-MOUTH, and fave mouthwash is SEA-FRESH, both taste incredible. I brush after breakfast, and after my last meal. After the meals between i use mouthwash. If i eat nuts or certain other foods, it tends to stick into certain spaces around the teeth, so i use a rubber-tip stimulator to remove the particles (or a tooth-pick) after i finish eating. I memorized by now where food tends to hide, lol. I floss once a day, after my last brushing. For flossing i use a BUTLER FLOSBRUSH. It's way better to use this instead of wrapping the floss around your fingers! I also changed my diet a long time ago, no more processed food (no cheating). Just natural whole foods (always). If you want to find out how diet affects your teeth, get a great book called NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL DEGENERATION by Weston A.Price. If i eat anything acidic (vinegar, lemon, pineapple, tomato, etc.) i don't let it stay in my mouth too long, and i rinse my mouth with water right after eating it. They say the acid eats through tooth enamel. It must be true, because it burned through my tongue, lol (when i eat pineapple & tomato too long). If i eat out, i'll bring my mouthwash along with me. I've become a dental fanatic, lol. As for whitening products, i don't even use them. I don't smoke or drink coffee, and avoid certain things that stain my teeth. So try to avoid the stains.

I have the same problem with recession, and I was told by several holistic dentists I've seen that it has to do with grinding and tooth movement, although I'm still not sure about that. I'm on my 2nd set of orthodontics now at age 36 to undo the first set from high school, and the sensitivity and recession has gotten worse, as my dentist warned me it might. So that seems to go with the movement issue. I bought a Sonicare toothbrush quite a few years ago and I really like it. The rate of vibration is supposed to kill parasites and nasty organisms that vibrate at a lower rates, so I guess that's why it promotes healthy tissue. I just saw a toothpaste on the Alpha Omega labs website (www.altcancer.com) with bloodroot as an ingredient that is supposed to be healing for gum problems. I plan to try that out soon.