Advances of extracellular vesicles in oral diseases: Summary of research progress, clinical implications and future directions

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid bilayer particles released by various cell types, playing crucial roles in intercellular communication and the regulation of physiological and pathological processes. Studies have shown that EVs carrying a large number of bioactive substances play an important role in oral diseases. EVs can reflect the pathophysiological state of tissues and can be used for non-invasive diagnosis of oral diseases. In addition, more and more attention has been paid to the application of EVs in the clinical treatment of diseases. For example, engineering EVs for targeted drug delivery presents a promising strategy to improve efficacy and reduce side effects. EVs derived from mesenchymal stem cells have also been used for dental and maxillofacial tissue repair and regeneration. This review focuses on common diseases such as periodontitis and oral cancer to provide clinicians and researchers with a more comprehensive and updated overview of the application of EVs in the pathogenesis, progression, diagnosis, and treatment of oral diseases. At the same time, it highlights the potential directions and possible problems in future research, so that readers can further explore and promote the clinical translation and application of EVs after understanding the development potential of EVs in the field of stomatology. In conclusion, EVs are promising platforms for the treatment of oral diseases in the clinic. This promising field is developing rapidly, but the understanding of the potential mechanisms by which EVs play various roles is far from complete. Further multidisciplinary research is essential to illuminate the way forward of EVs in clinical translation. • EVs carry abundant bioactive molecules and participate in oral disease progression. • EVs can serve as diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for oral diseases. • Although EVs hold great promise, clinical translation still encounters difficulties.