The prevention of oral diseases is mainly targeted at the control of dental plaque. While tooth brushing is an effective method to remove plaque mechanically, it is not always sufficient and chemical antiplaque agents could be helpful. Some of them are used for their antibacterial action, the gold standard being chlorhexidine. Despite the great benefit of this bactericidal approach, the search continues for active ingredients that could prevent dental plaque formation without affecting the biological equilibrium within the oral cavity.