Recent advances in stimuli responsive hydrogels for oral disease treatment

Oral diseases include oral cancer, periodontitis, endodontium infection, and caries. The oral cavity is prone to the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria and infectious diseases owing to its unique environment. During the drug-based treatment of oral diseases, saliva can dilute the drug formulation, reduce the interaction between the drug and site of action, and weaken drug efficacy. Therefore, searching an effective drug delivery approach is extremely critical and urgent. Stimuli responsive hydrogels respond to altered environmental conditions under disease states, allowing specific drug delivery. Accordingly, smart drug delivery systems can prolong the duration of drug action, reduce adverse reactions, decrease the frequency of administration, and improve patient compliance, thereby accelerating recovery. In this review, we discuss the different types of stimuli responsive hydrogels for smart drug delivery, focusing on their application in oral disease management. Further, we present current challenges and provide suggestions for future research on stimuli responsive hydrogels for oral disease treatment.