Because plaque can eventually cause you to lose your teeth, it is important to remove it and try to minimize its formation.
OralAnswers.com provides 12 easy ways you can do that: The Top 12 Weapons of Plaque Destruction.
Weapon #1 – Brushing Your Teeth
Brushing your teeth not only removes plaque, but some toothpastes also contain antimicrobials. Toothpaste also contains abrasives which can help mechanically remove plaque from your teeth.
Weapon #2 – Flossing
Flossing helps remove plaque that is stuck between your teeth.
Weapon #3 – Fluoride
Fluoride has three different ways that it makes our teeth stronger and more resistant to the bad effects of plaque.
Weapon #4 – Xylitol
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that somehow helps fight plaque. Xylitol is found in many chewing gums.
Weapon #5 – Anti-Plaque Mouthwash
Many plaque-fighting mouthwashes contain ingredients such as cetylpyridinum chloride (CPC) which can kill the bacteria responsible for causing cavities.
Weapon #6 – Water
Drinking water or rinsing your mouth out with water after eating sugary foods can help wash away food that sticks around in your mouth. Since the bacteria live off the food you eat, you will be starving them by rinsing out your mouth.
Weapon #7 – Saliva
Saliva helps protect the teeth in many ways. You can read about the six main ways that your spit protects your teeth in the post, How Saliva Protects Your Teeth.
Weapon #8 – Plaque Disclosing Tablets
If you don’t know where the plaque is, it’s hard to destroy it. Plaque disclosing tablets work by coloring the plaque on your teeth so that you can make sure you’re removing it all when you brush and floss.
Weapon #9 – Chewing Gum
Chewing stimulates your salivary glands.
Weapon #10 – Your Tongue
Your tongue is a big weapon of plaque destruction. Your tongue (with the help of your saliva – see weapon #7) can help clean sugary food off of your teeth so that you swallow it rather than letting it sit on your teeth and feed the plaque.
Weapon #11 – Certain Foods
Certain foods can actually help your teeth repair themselves after you eat a sugary snack. Cheese contains phosphates and calcium that your saliva can utilize to help remineralize your teeth after they get “attacked” by the acid from plaque.
Weapon #12 – Sealants
Sealants are mainly used on children’s permanent molars. Sealants are a strong plastic material that dentists can flow into the small grooves on the biting surfaces of your children’s teeth. By covering up these grooves, you remove a nice, hard to brush place where plaque loves to hide. Sealants are very effective at preventing tooth decay on the biting surface of molar teeth.