gums receding- periodontal disease

Following up to my previous post "severe periodontal disease" I am wondering if there is anything that I can give my horse to stop his gums from receding from the infections. I am feeding my 20yr old horse beatpulp and soaked alphalpha cubes and a bit of oil. He is liking this. He is also getting his regular hay. I have been giving him bute for his pain and a sulpha antibiotic to try to help his infection (from the vet). I am just wondering if there is anything that anyone knows of that I can give him to try and get the infection away quicker so he doesn't lose his teeth. Is there anything that I could apply to the abcesses on his gums to try and get them healthy again? (Or would he just lick it off?) I'm just trying to find out as much as I can. Thanks.
-Jeana

-Previous Post:

I noticed last Thursday that my horse was not eating much of his grain and he ws dropping a lot of hay. Since then I have had the vet out and he told me that my horse has severe periodontal disease. He has an abscess on his cheek and several on his bottom gum. His gums and receding and he is having trouble eating. The vet told my to give him some bute for the pain and he gave me some antibiotics. If those don't get him eating more agressively, I don't know what to do. He is not eating his beetpulp and grain but I am going to try some alphalpha cubes and/or rice bran. If anyone has any suggestions, please comment.
-Jeana

hey, I think the soaked alfalfa cubes are a great idea. I dont think there is anything short of antibiotics that will help with his gums, but he does need to eat plenty of roughage in his diet to keep him healthy. The vet that I ride with suggests giving soaked alfalfa cubes to horses after he floats thier teeth since some of the work we do is so reconstructive they have trouble eating for a couple of days. this would be my best suggestion, and keep him on the antibiotics that will help the infection which will decrease the gum receeding. good luck