1. Get your painful tooth seen to by a dentist. All the brushing and flossing and mouthwashes in the world won't fix that.
2. Flossing is absolutely critical. If you are like me and can't stand it, try those Proxabrush or Gum brushes that slide between your teeth -- these can do a really good job of removing food particles at the gumline that can lead to inflammation, cavities, and gum disease. Just be aware that they don't clean out spaces near the tops of the teeth (I just had two cavities filled between the tops of my teeth despite regular brushing and proxabrushes, so I have had to suck it up and learn to deal with regular flossing).
3. I have problem teeth. Every dentist I have had in the last decade told me to switch to Sonicaire -- apparently, I was brushing TOO hard with a regular (soft) brush, and that was causing my gums to recede. I finally did it, and it has helped quite a bit with both getting my teeth clean and in stopping my receding gums. For my bad teeth/gums, it was worth it.
4. I also like the mouth rinses. Most people probably don't need them. But if you have bad teeth, it's a little extra protection after brushing and flossing.