Firstly, buy a suitable toothbrush. Human toothbrushes are usually too hard for cats, though can be used if they have soft bristles. Ideally you want a toothbrush with a long handle and an angled head to better fit the mouth, and extra soft bristles. An alternative is using a finger brush, which fits over the tip of your finger.
Next, find suitable toothpaste. Cats do not really like the mint taste of human toothpastes, so the whole operation will run more smoothly if you use toothpaste designed for pets. Some pet toothpaste comes in meaty flavors so that your pet enjoys the experience. These pet toothpastes usually contain enzymes that help control plaque. Fluoride may be incorporated to help control bacteria. Tip: try placing the toothpaste between the bristles if you can rather than on the top of them, as this will achieve better cleaning.
Now you have the equipment, try brushing the teeth. Most pets will accept this if you are gentle. It is much easier if you start when they are kittens so that they are accustomed to the procedure, but even older cats can grow to accept it. The outside of the teeth (the cheek side) is the most important to clean, as the cats tongue helps clean the inside of the teeth to an extent.
The toothbrush bristles should be placed where the teeth and gums meet at a 45 degree angle. The movement should be in an oval pattern. Try to gently force the bristle ends into the area around the base of the tooth as well as into the gap between the teeth. Aim for ten short back-and-forth motions, covering several teeth at a time, and then move the brush to a new location.
When starting for the first time, do it twice daily without toothpaste for 1-2 weeks. This way your cat will become familiar with the feel of the brush quickly, and you can then start doing it with toothpaste. In the long term, once weekly brushing is usually adequate.
As long as your cat does not have a pre-existing heart or respiratory problem, you need not be worried. Even if they do, chances are your cat will be fine. Dental scaling and polishing is done on a daily basis at many veterinary clinics, and does not have any risks in itself beyond the anesthetic risk that exists with every general anesthetic. Many clinics will do pre-anesthetic blood tests for geriatric patients as a matter of protocol, to check on their liver and kidney function. If your cat has severe dental disease or FORL cavities, he/she may require teeth to be extracted. This is not something you should worry about in it, as it is much better for your cat to have no tooth than a painful tooth. Many cats can eat dry food comfortably without any teeth at all as they tend to swallow biscuits whole rather than chew them anyway.
If you think your cat might require professional dental treatment, you should book an appointment with your vet ASAP. Many cats develop a new lease of life when their mouth suddenly becomes pain free, it may be the greatest gift you could ever give your pet.
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