Therapeutic application of curcumin and its nanoformulation in dentistry: Opportunities and challenges

Curcumin (CUR) a natural polyphenolic compound, has attracted significant attention due to its broad-spectrum anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antitumor activities. However, its poor water solubility, low bioavailability, and limited stability have hindered clinical applications. Novel approaches utilizing nanocarrier-based delivery systems (e.g., liposomes, micelles) and structural modification strategies offer promising solutions to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of curcumin. This review and analysis attempted to summarize the therapeutical applications and working mechanisms of CUR in oral infectious diseases, inflammation, traumatic disease and immune disorder. Publications included in this review included references were confined to curcumin, nano-curcumin (nCUR), and the names of different oral diseases; the different methodologies included clinical trials, in vivo animal studies and in vitro studies. Web of Science and Pubmed/MEDLINE databases were explored. The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immune regulation and anticancer properties of CUR and nCUR are reported, and their positive applications in oral diseases is discussed. With more favorable structure and improved solubility and bioavailability, nCUR is more beneficial, stable and efficient than CUR. Local application seems to be more effective on oral diseases, which allows for higher concentrations and better bioavailability, and can directly targets specific areas of the mouth, providing more precise treatment. Both CUR and nCUR are likely to be developed into a next-generation drug, but there is no consensus on their concentration, irradiation times and light intensity. Additional trials are required to obtain clinical standards, and establish specific dose ranges and clinical procedures.