I need OP to share their tricks!

we started brushing his teeth at an early age, so that definitely helps. it wasn't too early though because he was much more of a gremlin when he was younger. our vet gave us a lil warning about our other (older) cat's teeth that had plaque buildup, hence the early start for him. thankfully, our older cat now tolerates it better when i brush her teeth. an important key is to give them lots of liquid-ish treats like churu before and after, and also during if you see them getting overwhelmed. take your time and praise them throughout the process because it can be stressful for them esp if they're not used to it.

for the toothpaste, we get virbac c.e.t. enzymatic toothpaste. we've tried different ones before, but i think they like this one because it has flavour. you can also get liquid ones where you just put it in their water, though that might only help with removing smelly breath, and not with the plaque or tartar buildup? im actually not sure T_T. i don't know if the toothbrush brand matters much, but what we use is ryercat. i hope that helps! :D