Dental plaque is a soft deposit that forms on the surface of teeth. It is made of many types of germs (bacteria) and the sticky materials that they excrete. The bacteria in plaque consume the sugars from our diet and excrete acid (which causes tooth decay) and other substances harmful to the soft tissues of the mouth. You can usually remove plaque quite easily by tooth brushing and cleaning between your teeth.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original article at https://patient.info/oral-dental-care/toothache/dental-plaque-and-gum-disease