Hey Gumby, thanks for the tip! I had that gum surgery and it was no fun. On my dentist's advice, though, I switched to a Sonicare brush and that stopped the recession. I can't wait to try that blotting brush.
Most of us can get by without much intervention from the medical profession. In fact, it's the insistence of many people that they have to go running to the doctor for every sore throat and numb left toe that is helping to drive up medical costs. If I ever ran a medical office, I'd be tempted to put up a sign I remember from old car dealers: "Squeaks and rattles are not covered by the warranty."
The thing is, medicine isn't focused on the person whose worst problem is receding gums. It's about people with life threatening or disabling conditions, like stone's cancer (thank you for sharing that!). That's a small minority of people, and even a minority of those who seek medical attention. Most of the rest of the population are blissfully ignorant, at least until their turn comes to join the ranks of the unfortunate. In the meantime, you are certainly welcome to seek your own solutions to your medical problems - except for people who are a danger to themselves and not in control of their own actions, no one is forced to seek care they don't want.
WiseOne, I guess with cancer things are especially awkward because successful treatment often depends on medical intervention before people progress beyond merely having the "squeeks and rattles" stage of their disease.
"Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgment." - Mulla Nasrudin