Research progress on polydopamine in the treatment of oral diseases

Due to the moist environment in the mouth, there are many challenges that arise, such as difficult biofilm removal, short drug retention time, and low tissue repair efficiency, while treating dental caries, periodontal disease, and other oral diseases. As a biomimetic biomaterial, polydopamine (PDA) possesses multifunctional properties, including mussel-inspired adhesion and stimuli-responsive drug release. PDA adhesion properties originate from its surface catechol and amino functional groups, which maintain strong wettability in aqueous environments. With smart responsiveness encompassing photothermal, pH, and enzymatic stimuli, PDA enables controlled drug release under specific conditions. Additionally, PDA exhibits antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and osteoblast-promoting functions, thus demonstrating significant application potential in the treatment of oral diseases. In hard tissue therapies, specifically for dental caries, PDA promotes enamel remineralization by inducing hydroxyapatite crystal growth and enhances dentin collagen mineralization through Ca²⁺ chelation while inhibiting cariogenic bacteria. In mandibular defect repair, functionalized PDA coatings on bone implants facilitate mesenchymal stem cell adhesion and differentiation, activate osteogenic signaling pathways, and synergistically promote vascularization to improve bone-implant integration. For soft tissue treatments, specifically for periodontitis, PDA alleviates alveolar bone resorption via antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects coupled with osteoclast inhibition. In denture stomatitis management, PDA’s strong wet adhesion prolongs drug retention, while its photothermal effect and reactive oxygen generation provide both broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and wound healing promotion. This review summarizes PDA’s synthesis mechanisms and biological functions, with an emphasis on its therapeutic applications in oral diseases, providing innovative strategies for oral healthcare.