How do you *effectively* prevent plaque/tartar forming on your teeth?

Floss and electric toothbrush, brush twice a day, works wonders. One of those brushes that make sure you brush each quarter for 30 seconds for a total of 2 minutes.

They dont even have to be expensive. We spent like $200 on my wife's Sonicare. I have some cheap toothbrush I got on Amazon for 30 bucks. They both brush just as effectively.
If you're like me and you can't do string floss, try a water flosser. It's what got me started flossing. No dentist will tell you it's just as effective as string floss. Any dentist will tell you it's better than not flossing at all.
Plus, my breath stinks a lot less.
- When you start flossing regularly you can taste when you haven’t. That’s the halitosis.
- And remember, a WaterPik CANNOT be used as a makeshift bidet, no matter how tempting.
  Very painful lesson.
- I suspect it may be that I suck at flossing, and I've tried different methods as well as those disposable toothpick things. Will keep the water one in mind, cheers

Consider chewing Xylitol gum after eating. Xylitol directly fucks up the bacteria that cause tooth decay. Make sure to get a brand that is mostly Xylitol (I like Pur).

However, be careful if you have a dog, because xylitol is super poisonous to dogs!

Chewing any sugar free gum after eating is good. Chewing the gum increases saliva production, and the saliva is good for a lot of reasons. It breaks down any food and plenty of bacteria, as well as balance the pH levels in your mouth.
- Totally agree! I recently switched to a non-xylitol sugar free gum because we got a puppy. But if Xylitol is an option, it adds that extra boost!
Good suggestion, thanks!
- Just don’t overdo it. In large quantities, xylitol is a powerful laxative.

Don't eat sugar

The top cavity-forming snack is actually Goldfish cheese crackers, IIRC. Because the snack sticks to your teeth really well and carbs get broken down into sugar anyways. Plus kids are worse about picking their teeth clean with their tongue; Adults will absentmindedly pick at their teeth much longer, but kids tend to lose interest quickly and just leave stuff stuck to their teeth. And since goldfish is a common snack for kids, all of that combines into Goldfish being really horrible for causing cavities, particularly in kids.
- Is sugar acidic? I can deal with coffee black, but if I have to cut coffee as well I will not survive the workday

I maintain very good dental hygiene, and my dental hygienist always loves me. These are the tips I've picked up from them as I've gone

Use an electric toothbrush. My hygienist didn't give a recommendation, but I asked what she used and said the Philips Sonicare and really liked it. I got one for $25 on a black friday sale (normally $50 for the model I got). I'm sure plenty would work, but one that also tells you when you're pressing too hard is a very nice perk, and the timer is a must.
Floss every day with normal string floss. Honestly, quickly disrupting the bacteria between your teeth is good most days, and then give it a really good go other days to really break things up.
Never brush with a low pH level in your mouth. Eating anything increases the acidity in your mouth, so wait about 30 minutes before brushing. Some things increase it much more, such as soda. Wait an hour or so after drinking soda or other acidic foods/drinks before brushing. Drinking water can help normalize the pH levels faster, as well. So if you must, just swish around some water a good bit before brushing.
Saliva is good for you. If you drink a lot of soda or eat a lot of sugary foods, stop it. But since you probably won't stop (like me) chew sugar free gum to increase saliva production to help fight the sugary-ness of it, as well as help balance the pH levels a little.
Use alcohol free anti-cavity mouth wash. It's basically just water and fluoride, so if fluoride toothpaste doesn't hurt your mouth, you should be okay with this mouthwash.
Make sure you're using fluoride toothpaste. It doesn't need to be fancy, I just use the cheapest fluoride toothpaste.
Do not rinse out the toothpaste in your mouth after brushing. You want the fluoride to stay on your teeth for as long as possible. And if you do end up using flouride mouthwash, do not drink anything for at least half an hour after using it to make sure the flouride has time to work. The longer it's on your teeth, the better.
Brush AT LEAST every night. Of course they always recommend twice a day, but if you picked one, do it before bed and not in the morning. If you don't brush before bed, the bacteria from the day will sit on your teeth all night going to work on you. I only brush at night, but the hygienists I have always say they wouldn't have known if I hadn't told them. And that's even with habitual soda drinking habits.
Accept the fact you will get tartar build up. It's going to happen, despite your best efforts. That's why you should go to the dentist every 6 months. They will remove the tartar build up with a metal pick, but if you do everything above, it should be an easy job for them.

Thanks for the tips! One nitpick: I'm pretty sure acidity leads to a lower pH, not higher. But, your point still stands!
- Good catch. The way I think about the pH scale in my head always feels like acidity should be high on the pH, but that's just wrong XD
You can also get the dental picks off Amazon for a few bucks. You can use it once a month and get rid of the plaque yourself. Then it can't build up.
No, this isn't dental advice but I've had no issues. Don't go crazy on your teeth or gums.
Good overview!

Have you tried changing your brushing technique? From my time working in a dentist's office as an assistant, its usually the brushing technique that most people get wrong. You're supposed to focus on where the teeth and gums meet.

https://youtu.be/rqAdceHE5CI?si=X7xQdoaV9llNUn4P

I recommend the first 2 from the link above. They're the most similar to how most people already brush their teeth so its an easy transition. The only real difference is you angle your toothbrush 45° away from the surface of your teeth. Doesn't matter if you angle it up or down.

Thanks for that, short and informative. I've never had a dentist suggest brushing my front teeth at an angle, only molars and premolars. Cheers
Here is an alternative Piped link(s):
https://piped.video/rqAdceHE5CI?si=X7xQdoaV9llNUn4P
Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.
I'm open-source; check me out at GitHub.

I also had this issue. I was doing everything I could think of to take care of my teeth, but I’d go to the dentist and they would comment about plaque and signs of receding gums. I switched to an electric toothbrush and waterpik. I was actually able to reverse some of the recession (verified by having the dentist take measurements, not notable by just looking)

That's encouraging, thanks for sharing :)
For the best gum health, regular string floss is the best thing you can do. A waterpik is not as effective, and don't use those one time floss picks both because they aren't as effective but they're also just super wasteful.
- As much as I hate waste, I'm way more effective using the disposable floss picks.
  Edit: spoke with the hygienist during my cleaning today and she said you can be just as effective with the string floss vs the disposable floss picks.

That was interesting ha
I think between a candidiasis and plaque I'll keep the plaque, at least I have it somewhat under control

Waterpicks for me have been amazing! I got one for like 30 USD and I use it once or twice a week. It makes my teeth feel so much cleaner and I feel like they stay cleaner too. It also gets stuff stuck between your teeth instantly without having to do weird flossing gymnastics. I’ve always sucked at flossing but with the waterpick I actually use it regularly.

Might be time to give these a try!

Electric brushes usually help with that. Do go for a brand like Braun or Philips though, otherwise it's easy to end up with a toothbrush with non-existent or low-quality replacement heads. You don't need an expensive model from those brands. Those work about as well as the cheaper models and only include more frills, and their replacement heads are often more expensive too. The only feature I actually find helpful is the 30-second/2-minute timer which most models have nowadays.

Also you don't need to buy multiple electric brushes, the replacement heads often if not always comes with colored rings you can put on. You can just have a different head for each person that you swap when needed.
I buy a new pack and replace all the heads every season.

Get an electric toothbrush, Oral-B is great, don't feel pressured to get top of the line & Costco has a sale on mid-tier Oral-B 2-pks a few times a year. Get 2 VERY good toothbrushes + a few spare heads for $65.

I have a very specific answer that has worked for me, and I one that hasn't been said yet. 🙂 Despite prolonged attempts to stop plaque build-up, brushing extensively, mouthwashes, it kept happening. Until I got ProDentim.

I get the "real deal" from their website. It is very expensive, and they look so scammy, too. Their website has a scary countdown timer for their limited-time offer (that always resets, is always active) & they ply you to buy more post-purchase at a deeper discount. It's tacky AF, I hate it, but the product does work.

ProDentim is based on the idea of replacing the bad bacteria in your mouth with good bacteria. Get your mouth right & it can help take care of itself. It is very expensive...but I figured, so are dental problems. ¯(ツ)_/¯ After being on ProDentim for a month, I noticed the following:

My gums are healthier, maybe a little stronger. Not swollen. I had a WEIRDLY sensitive tooth, that issue is now gone. My 'baseline' for my breath doesn't smell nearly as bad, it's all but neutral. And yes, the plaque just doesn't seem to stick around or build up. Sometimes for days or up to an entire week+ after ceasing ProDentim, yes, I stopped just because I was curious to see how long the plaque shedding would last. That & it's expensive enough, so rationing it out for effectiveness seems wise.

I talked with my friend recently. I fed it to him, too, without telling him it was "bacteria". He said, and I quote, "I feel like it's helped me as well I have no tooth pain and ya sensitivity to cold is almost gone."

If you really heavily use ProDentim & replace the active bacterial flora in your mouth, gums I can only imagine some positive effects will be more or less permanent. The bacteria in the candies become...your...mouth bacteria. If you try it please write me back & lmk what you think. 🙂

If you're still reading, here is my exact method I used: I did 2 candies instead of one, morning AND night, for a month. They say to "let the candy melt in your mouth" and that's it, I say fuck that! I paid for this bacteria, I want to get my money's worth. I let my saliva build up & fill my mouth, I swish that double dose of bacteria around my teeth & gums for 10, 20, 30 mins. Literally. I do not care, I want that bacteria to be seeded in my body, I give it time. And yeah, ever since late August when I started, my teeth feel fantastic. Even when I lax in my routine, I feel like my baseline is so solid. It's like how some people have a better mouth without trying? I think I have some of that now. I've procured & cultivated the correct mouth bacteria for that to occur.

Electric brushes (with regularly changed tips) can be amazing. There are also some inexpensive ultrasonic ones and I’m absolutely happy with mine. It’s a whole other level than handbrushes.

Have you asked your dentist?

I've been to a few over the years. I get two types of answers: "because you don't floss" (I floss), and "this is normal, you just come for an annual cleanup".
I wonder if it's really just normal and everyone here in the comments has plaque that gets cleaned up professionally every year, or maybe there are people who have near zero plaque from whom I can learn a thing or two.
- I'd trust my dentist over any rando on the interwebs. And yes, a yearly cleaning seems like a good idea.

Electric toothbrush, don’t want to shill for a brand but Oral-B.

Also don't want to shill out for a brand, but my philips sonicare is pretty good, and I always get compliments from my dentist. Though do NOT spend the full price. I got mine on sale for half off during black Friday (which was still $25), but with the time of year right now you could definitely get a reasonable price.
To echo this sentiment, my oral B toothbrush has made a huge difference with minimal effort. My dentists are always impressed by my tooth and gum health. It won't completely eliminate plaque, and still requires regular flossing.

I'm sorry, mouthwash peels your skin off?!

The skin inside my mouth yes.
https://www.ijcasereportsandimages.com/archive/article-full-text/101184Z01CE2020
That's the best reference I can find on a quick Google search, it even has images in case you wonder. I'm fine with toothpastes because I rinse thoroughly after brushing, but mouthwash needs no rinsing to be effective and after a week or so of regular use the inside of my mouth gets very irritated and sore.
- Saying "mouthwash" in general is not specific enough. There are lots of types of mouthwash. I personally always go for flouride and alcohol mouthwash, so it kills germs and provides protection for my teeth. If the alcohol is what's hurting your mouth, use alcohol free anti-cavity (flouride) mouthwash. Maybe you're using the gingivitis mouthwash? Or the alcohol mouthwash? It doesn't make sense to say all mouthwash does the same thing to your mouth

Sonicare toothbrush, then floss, then waterpik. The kids waterpik is cheaper and does the same thing.

there is likely no way to entirely prevent it, but I have been using a sonicare for about nearly 20 years and have had 0 problems with my teeth. I cannot recommend them enough—everyone should have one.

Use a toothpaste or mouthwash containing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorhexidine

As others have somewhat suggested maybe try some diet modifications. I also recommend going to the dentist and seeing what they have to say, everyone has different things impacting mouth health and a dentist will know how to help you the most.

The plaque forms as a result of bacteria eating the sugars that stay on your teeth. Most dentists in my life have recommended brushing right after eating.

This is actually incorrect. After eating your mouth is becomes a very acidic environment, it means the tooth enamel is at its softest. Brushing at that point only erodes the enamel faster, leading to sensitive teeth.
Gargle first. Wait an hour before brushing, it will allow your saliva to neutralize the acidity and allow the enamel time to remineralize.

You need to figure out why mouthwash peels your skin off.

That is not normal and is almost certainly related somehow to the plaque buildup.

Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, I posted a link to someone here about it. Some people are just too sensitive to it

Since I've been sanitizing my brush head in hydrogen peroxide after each use to avoid re-introducing bacteria into my mouth it's made a significant difference in the quality of my brushing and minimizing plaque formation. Also, the main area to aim for specifically for plaque is where the gum meets the tooth rather than just all over the tooth hitting the gum incidentally.

I asked my dentist this, and she just said that I have fast plaque buildup and there's not much I can do about it other than getting my teeth cleaned once a year

Could probably drink less coffee though

For me I use Phillips soniccare tooth brush which is infinitely better than a manual one. Have you tried your luck with iodine mouthwash? It's more expensive and tastes gross but it's really good for gingivitis and doesn't burn. Also if you aren't already, flossing everyday and maybe after each meal if needed is important. Floss has to be reaching below the gums to pull out the trapped food and not just in between the teeth.

I just learned this the other day and that along with the purple Listerine...my gums are not bleeding after flossing for the first time in years..and I've got good teeth...just too much tartar build up because I was flossing wrong. I'm going to try the hydrogen peroxide thing too.

While I think brushing, flossing, mouthwash all play an important role. Nobody is teaching you how to breakdown the actual problem. Besides genetics if your hygiene is sufficient. The food and drinks you consume are to blame. Bacteria are influenced from your diet. Change what you consume and your bodily systems will adjust accordingly, that being said cause and effect should be noted. Changing one system will modify others good or bad. Tailor your intakes based on the symptoms your trying to mitigate by learning how those systems work individually and then cohesively together. The fastest way albeit quite inconvenient is to log every food, drink, and consumable item that goes into your mouth each day for X number of days and find trigger foods which cause your symptoms. Analyze and extrapolate the data. Refine through trial and error. Tailor your diet to suit.

Get a good toothpaste, brush twice a day, change my toothbrush once a month (whether it's electronic never changed my success rate), and go to the dentist twice a year. My dentist says I have model teeth.

You don't floss and you don't get plaque?
- Forgot to mention that. Yes I floss every now and then.

You seem to be doing quite some things well. Maybe pay attention to your brushing? My dentist once had me brush my teeth in front of her and identified why in some teeth I'd consistently be clean and in others I'd consistently build plaque.

Her recommendations: brush from the gum to the tip of the tooth. Try to aim at the holes between teeth. Pay close attention to the part in front of your tongue, in your lower front teeth; that part can easily build plaque if you don't use the tip of your brush well to get in the holes between your teeth.

Thanks, I don't believe it's the brushing. I've done that with several dentists and my brushing is fine. The plaque builds where the brush doesn't reach, often right under the gums.
I've never had anyone say to brush only from the gum to the tooth ends, this makes sense and might be helpful

My trusty 16 year old sonicare toothbrush, a tongue scraper, and a water pik make it so I barely get fuzzy teeth unless I eat a bunch of sweets or crackers. I also swish with OralB gum detoxify mouthwash every once in a while, but I didn't have much plaque even without using it.

The other oralb washes aren't as great imo, but the gum detoxify has zinc and cetylpyridinium chloride in it which both inhibit bacteria. No alcohol in it either which is what causes most mouthwashes to burn. It does cause you to spit out a white film immediately after which I assume is dead bacteria. Never had any irritation with it and a doctor actually recommended it to me when I had strep throat which it helped.

Also Walmart carries a sonicare 1100 that is only around $20. I use that when I travel instead, and it's just as good as my older more expensive electric toothbrush.

I use an electric toothbrush (Oral-B is very good), floss, a CBC mouthwash, and a tongue scraper. Sometimes I'll floss after meals as well. I've read that brushing immediately after a meal is not good.

Arm and hammer toothpaste with baking soda is great. Clinical studies have proven a statistically greater reduction in plaque than toothpaste that does not contain baking soda.

I spent several years intermittent fasting, only eating between 6pm and 10pm. I didn't do it for my teeth but it did help keep them much cleaner, probably obvious in retrospect. It's not a healthy diet in a lot of other ways though.