How to Remove Plaque from Teeth
Remove plaque at home before it hardens into tartar, with the ADA's brushing technique, daily flossing, tongue scraping, a therapeutic mouthwash, and fewer sugary snacks.
You will end up with a daily routine that clears plaque before it can harden, from the ADA's brushing technique to the snacks that feed it, and you will know which signs to take to your dentist.
The fuzzy feeling on your teeth after a long day is plaque. It is a sticky film of bacteria that forms on your teeth every day, and if you do not remove it, it hardens into tartar that only a dentist or dental hygienist can remove.
According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, gum disease is typically caused by brushing and flossing habits that let plaque build up. And gum disease is not rare. A CDC surveillance study of national survey data from 2009 to 2014 found that about 42% of US adults aged 30 and older who still have their teeth have some form of periodontitis, and close to 8% have it severely.
Plaque itself is soft, though, and brushing and cleaning between your teeth remove it at home.
Soft-bristled toothbrush Fluoride toothpaste Dental floss Antibacterial mouthwash Tongue scraper
Brush at a 45-degree angle for 2 full minutes
Hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle where your teeth meet your gums. Use short, gentle back-and-forth strokes about one tooth wide. Work your way around every surface of every tooth: outer surfaces, inner surfaces, and the flat chewing surfaces on top. For the inside of your front teeth, tilt the brush vertically and use small up-and-down strokes. The whole thing should take 2 full minutes, twice a day. A 2009 study cited by Cleveland Clinic found that most people brush for only about 45 seconds, and that brushing for 2 minutes removed 26% more plaque, so set a timer. The American Dental Association recommends replacing your toothbrush every 3 or 4 months, or sooner if the bristles are frayed.
Good to know: Use a soft-bristled brush, which is what the ADA recommends, and move it gently in the short, tooth-wide strokes above.
Floss once a day using the C-shape technique
Break off about 18 inches of floss and wind most of it around one middle finger. Wind the rest around the same finger on the other hand, leaving about 1 to 2 inches to work with. Gently guide the floss between two teeth using a back-and-forth motion. Never snap it straight down into your gums. Once the floss is between your teeth, curve it into a C shape against one tooth and slide it up and down along the side, dipping just below the gumline. Then curve around the other tooth in the same gap and repeat. Use a fresh section of floss for each space. The American Dental Association, summarizing a 2019 Cochrane review, says that flossing or using interdental brushes alongside brushing may reduce plaque and gum inflammation more than brushing alone, and that interdental brushes may work better than floss. The review graded that evidence low to very low certainty, so no reliable percentage exists for how much more plaque flossing removes.
Scrape your tongue
Your tongue holds bacteria too, which is why tongue cleaning is one of the treatments studied for bad breath. Grab a tongue scraper and gently run it from the back of your tongue toward the tip. Pressing hard can irritate the tongue. Rinse the scraper after each pass and repeat two or three times. Do this at least once a day, ideally right after brushing. Be realistic about the evidence. Cochrane's 2019 review of treatments for bad breath, which replaced an older review on tongue scraping, rated the evidence for tongue cleaning as very uncertain, based on 2 small trials with 46 participants. Scrape anyway, because it is cheap, but do not count on it alone to fix bad breath.
Good to know: If you do not have a tongue scraper, use the back of your toothbrush if it has a textured surface.
Rinse with an antibacterial mouthwash
Do not give mouthwash to children younger than 6 unless a dentist says to, because the American Dental Association warns that they can swallow large amounts of it. Swish an antibacterial mouthwash around your mouth, using the amount and time on the label, since products differ. The ADA says cetylpyridinium chloride, chlorhexidine, and essential oils have been shown to help reduce plaque and gingivitis when combined with daily brushing and flossing, and that cetylpyridinium chloride is also added to reduce bad breath. The same page warns that cetylpyridinium chloride and chlorhexidine may cause brown staining of teeth, tongue, and fillings. Essential-oil rinses are sold in stores, while chlorhexidine rinses are available only by prescription.
Heads up: Look for the ADA Seal of Acceptance on the bottle. A company earns it by giving the ADA scientific evidence of the product's safety and efficacy.
Cut back on sugary and starchy snacks
The bacteria in plaque feed on sugar and starch. Every time you eat something sweet or starchy, those bacteria produce acids that attack your enamel. The NIDCR explains that enamel repairs itself with minerals from saliva and fluoride from toothpaste, but frequent sugar and starch keep it losing minerals. Limit sugary drinks, candy, dried fruits, and refined carbohydrates like chips and white bread, and keep sweet snacks to mealtimes rather than grazing on them through the day. Drink water between meals instead of soda or juice.
If you feel a rough, hard deposit along the gumline that brushing does not shift, it is likely tartar, and only a professional cleaning removes it, so book one. See your dentist too if your gums are red, swollen, or tender, bleed easily, or pull away from your teeth, or if bad breath persists despite this routine, because the NIDCR lists all of these as symptoms of gum disease. For more daily health habits, our Daily Wellness series includes guides on sleep, stress, and snoring.
Questions we get asked about this
Answers from experience, not a textbook.
Yes. Plaque is soft and can be brushed and flossed away with a proper daily routine. However, plaque left in place can harden into tartar, and once it does, it bonds to your enamel and can only be removed by a dental professional with specialized instruments.
Plaque is a soft, sticky film of bacteria that forms on your teeth throughout the day. You can remove it at home by brushing and flossing. Tartar is what happens when plaque sits too long and hardens through mineral deposits from your saliva. Tartar is rough, yellowish, and firmly bonded to your teeth. Only a dentist or dental hygienist can remove it.
Not on its own. The ADA says rinses with cetylpyridinium chloride, chlorhexidine, or essential oils help reduce plaque and gingivitis when combined with daily brushing and flossing, and that a rinse does not take the place of either. Use it after brushing and flossing, with the amount and time on the label, as step 4 describes.
Yes. The bacteria in plaque break down food particles and produce sulfur compounds that cause bad breath. Bacteria on the tongue contribute too, so scrape your tongue daily as step 3 describes, even though the trial evidence for tongue cleaning is still very uncertain. Persistent bad breath that does not improve with brushing may be a sign of gum disease, so tell your dentist about it.
Go as often as your dentist recommends, because the right interval depends on your mouth. During these visits, a hygienist removes tartar that brushing cannot. If you have gum disease or build up tartar quickly, expect your dentist to schedule cleanings more often.
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How to Remove Plaque from Teeth
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