If your teeth develop a large amount of tartar, it can make your next dental appointment difficult for you and your dental hygienist. Nevertheless, there are things you can do to lessen the accumulation of tartar in your mouth. Here are a few of them:

Eat fibrous veggies and fruits between meals. Fresh vegetables and fruits that contain large amounts of fiber can help your digestion run smoothly, but they can also help clear your teeth of plaque and prevent tartar development.

Dental plaque forms as oral bacteria and leftover food in your mouth mix together. The sticky substance adheres to the teeth, and if left in place for a prolonged period, hardens into tartar. 

Plaque removal is fairly simple. It can be done using a standard toothbrush and floss. Additionally, hard foods, such as vegetables and fruits can help scrub plaque from the teeth. By eliminating the plaque before it hardens, the development of tartar is avoided.

Chew sugar-free gum after eating.

Sugarless gum contains no carbohydrates that combine with oral bacteria to form plaque. Additionally, the gum helps pull food and plaque from the teeth and incites the production of saliva to wash it away. By chewing gum after eating, you remove plaque-developing agents immediately after food particles have been deposited in your mouth and don't give plaque enough time to harden into place..

Some gum, such as gum with cinnamon flavoring, is antibacterial and helps decrease the amount of microbes available for plaque production. 

Rinse your mouth with tap water.

Most tap water is fluoridated, so in addition to rinsing away debris and plaque, it can have anti-bacterial effect. One study shows that fluoride causes oral bacteria to become more sensitive to acid. This sensitivity prevents the bacteria from feeding, so that a large increase in bacterial counts, which can exacerbate plaque production, is avoided.

Use an anti-plaque mouth rinse.

Some mouth rinses contain antibacterial agents, such as chlorhexidine, to discourage plaque development. Other mouthwashes, such as those that contain alcohol, may eliminate bacteria but may also cause your mouth to be excessively dry. Dry mouth is associated with an overgrowth of oral bacteria, because there is insufficient saliva available to wash the microbes from the mouth.

Anti-plaque rinses can be used immediately after you brush and floss.

To learn more ways to discourage the development of plaque and tartar, speak with a dental hygienist in your area.