Dental plaque is an adherent, bacterial film, and is the main pathological agent for periodontal diseases. The formation of dental plaque can occur both supragingivally and subgingivally. The development of plaque is a three-step process. Following the formation of a pellicle, pioneer micro-organisms will adhere to it, proliferate and form colonies. The final stage involves the aggregation of filamentous organisms and spirochetes into a cohesive biofilm. Many products of the plaque bacteria reach the subepithelial tissue, causing inflammatory responses such as increased vascularity and leukocyte diapedesis. Both supragingival and subgingival plaque may form a hard, mineralized mass called calculus. The surface of calculus harbours bacteria, which may exacerbate the inflammatory responses. An effective oral antiseptic must be active against a wide range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial species, including streptococci and fusobacteria. Ideally, an effective agent would also penetrate the plaque biofilm. Data show that essential oil and chlorhexidine mouthwashes have the broadest antimicrobial effects.