Flossing teeth and MDS

I think you might try visiting a periodontist. I don’t have this issue, but I have ET and I have gum disease.

Maybe try a water pik instead? You can adjust the pressure.

Good morning @twitt1949 Having MDS or any blood condition/blood cancer can affect blood cell levels, as you're familiar with. You see the fluctuations in your labs. The changes can bring about conditions such as anemia with lower red blood counts and lower platelets may produce issues with unusual bleeding. People with reduced platelets might see more, "where did that come from" bruising, excessive bleeding from cuts, nose bleeds and bleeding gums.

I went through this myself during my leukemia odyssey and it's unnerving to see blood in the sink when I've been so diligent with oral health care. It's nothing you're doing, unless you're in need of a professional dental cleaning. But considering that you're diligently flossing and brushing I'm confident you're a good dental patient! ☺️ So in this case, the bleeding is most likely the nature of the disease.
As a dental professional for 30+ years of my career I can offer a couple of ideas.
~I'd suggest a visit to your dentist to discuss this change in your oral health. With your reduced ability to use floss as regularly, they may suggest more frequent cleanings.
~You can try daily mouth rinsing with lukewarm salt water. 1/4 teaspoon salt dissolved in 8 ounces of water. Swish for a minute a few times daily and spit. Some people also add baking soda. Both are good at healing to sooth the tissue.
~Pulling with organic coconut oil can also be soothing and naturally helps reduce bacteria in the mouth. It won't stop the bleeding but may help with inflammation. This is my go-to mouth soother. A teaspoon of coconut oil on the tongue. let it melt, then keep swishing between teeth for up to 20 minutes. Do NOT swallow. When finished, spit the oil/saliva into a tissue, not the sink as it will clog the drain.
~Switching to a very soft toothbrush can be helpful. Also, instead of 'brushing' up and down and scrubbing, place the bristles angled down towards the gum where it meets the teeth. Then just gently make vibrating motions. The goal is to allow the soft bristles to go a bit beneath the gum level to clean the pockets around the teeth. Takes some time but it can be a boost to the gum tissue health.
~As @shmerdloff suggested, a waterpik might be helpful. But only use at a low setting. High settings on these devices can actually damage the attachment between the teeth and gums. Especially if your gums are already sensitive 'less is more' in terms of power.
~I also found switching to a natural, children's toothpaste without the heavy mint felt so much nicer. Didn't freshen my mouth as well, but my gums felt less like they had been rubbed with sand paper.

I remember you just received your latest blood work. What was your platelet level?

Thanks for the info. Attached are my platelet counts. I misspoke earlier about how may pages I downloaded. I said there was 20 pages with 12 tests per page. I should have looked closer. Most were from back many years ago.
Looks like the platelets are going down. What does that mean and what do I have to look forward too if they keep going down.
What do platelets do?
It looks like there are 2 different platelet tests. Your thoughts please.