How to Avoid Excessive Plaque on Teeth

Dental plaque is a colorless, sticky substance that continually forms on the surface and in between teeth and eventually hardens and turns into calculus or tartar. Plaque builds up on a daily basis and you must take certain steps to minimize this biofilm that's made up of microorganisms, such as bacteria, that can be damaging to the overall health of your teeth.

Things You'll Need

• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Mouthwash
• Dental floss

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Instructions

• 1

  Avoid sugary and starchy snacks and tobacco products. These products accelerate plaque growth. Instead, try to eat a diet high in fiber because fiber acts as a natural brushing agent. Also, drink lots of water to wash your mouth clean of anything that you just ate.

• 2

  Brush your teeth at least twice daily. Brush your teeth on a consistent basis to help eliminate the plaque that's in your mouth before it attaches itself to the enamel on your teeth. Brush your teeth in the morning, prior to eating. The mouth doesn't produce as much saliva when we're asleep, which leads to plaque buildup throughout the night.

• 3

  Floss your teeth daily. Using floss daily will help you reach the crevices in between teeth that brushing alone will not get to. When you just brush your teeth, you're doing a good thing, but it's incomplete. Flossing your teeth is the extra step necessary to remove plaque buildup between your teeth.

• 4

  Use mouthwash to help reach difficult spots. Use mouthwash after brushing and flossing to help ensure that all of the places on your teeth have been addressed. Swishing this liquid around will help reduce the risk of excessive plaque buildup and kill off bacteria that may still be present in your mouth.

• 5

  Visit your dentist regularly so that he can use special tools to scrape off plaque that has attached to enamel.