Dental plaque is a cheese like thin coating of bacteria and food particles that sticks to the teeth and converts dietary sugar to acid. It cannot be rinsed off. It can only be removed by brushing and flossing, and by professional cleaning by dentist.
The longer the plaque is allowed to stick to the teeth, the greater are the chances that it will cause tooth decay and gum disease. Dental plaque can be seen by using a disclosing tablet. This is how it works. After chewing a tablet the plaque left on the teeth is stained a bright pink colour. Further Brushing of the stained areas is needed until the pink stain is removed. This will confirm that all the plaque has been brushed away. Disclosing tablets or solutions should be an integral part of tooth cleaning. They allow us to see how well, or badly we are brushing our teeth. They must not be swallowed.