Paul... clean is your friend. I an not sure how sore things are in your mouth. But if you don't own a waterpik... try and get one. Even if you spritz on the lower setting.
After each and every meal.. brush rinse and spritz.
antibiotics will help, and then keeping the area clean will help.
It's the same premise as flesh wound. It's a slow process but your mouth carries mega bacteria etc... so keeping the area clean will minimize progression of the infection. Rinsing with the baking soda etc.. should help as well. You want to rinse out any particulate and gunk. If you are using the waterpik clean along the gum line and make sure to angle it away so that you are not pushing bad stuff under the gum. You mostly want to clean between your teeth and along the gum.
