It sounds like you've improved your oral hygiene habits, which is great. Keep up the good work.
As for your condition, it does sound like you have some periodontal issues with heavy tartar (or what we call calculus) buildup. Unfortunately, the tartar buildup is hard to remove by brushing, flossing or mouthwash. That's why you need to go a dentist for them to remove it with those metal instruments. If its been awhile and the buildup is severe, they may need to do what we term "root planing," which basically means we need to scrap below the gums to remove any buildup underneath it. If you don't remove it, it can affect the bone of the jaw and will loosen your teeth. Now this process generally takes months to years so you don't have to panic and get the cleaning immediately, but you should definitely seek care and see if this is your situation.
my teeth dont seem to have gaps though thank goodness but I still seem to have an infection