Research progress on curcumin-mediated photodynamic therapy for oral infectious diseases

Curcumin is a natural medicine with a wide range of sources and low toxicity. It has antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and other pharmacological effects. In recent years, curcumin has attracted much attention in the field of prevention and treatment of oral infectious diseases. Single curcumin is easily degraded during application and has poor water solubility and low bioavailability, but it can be used as a natural photosensitizer to mediate photodynamic treatment of oral infections. Photodynamic therapy has high antibacterial efficiency and can better protect the appearance and function of the affected area. This article reviews the research on curcumin-mediated photodynamic therapy for oral infectious diseases. As a natural photosensitizer, curcumin mediates photodynamic therapy and has shown good therapeutic effects against dental caries, endodontics, periodontitis, oral candidiasis and other oral infectious diseases by enhancing antibacterial ability, increasing the production of reactive oxygen species, and inhibiting the formation of biofilms. In-depth exploration of the mechanism of action of curcumin-mediated photodynamic therapy in different oral infectious diseases can provide new strategies for the prevention and treatment of oral infectious diseases.