How epigenetics and miRNA affect gene expression in dental pulp inflammation: A narrative review

Pulp inflammation is a complex series of events happening on a molecular and cellular level. Even though the pulp tissue is hardly examined in vivo, laboratory studies offer great new insights and potential for our understanding of its inflammatory mechanisms. Recognition of bacterial components by pulp cells is the initiator of overlapping signalling pathways that will eventually lead to gene activation or repression. Specific genes might be activated, resulting in the production of messenger molecules like cytokines and chemokines. Trending topics of medicine like microRNA and epigenetics are also discussed in the context of dentistry. This knowledge could be used to develop new therapeutics in endodontics.