Chitosan- A Promising agent for site specific drug delivery in periodontics

Abstract

Periodontal diseases are chronic infectious illnesses that have become a significant burden on oral health. Several new treatment targets have been found because of advances in the study of the epidemiology, aetiology, and pathophysiology of periodontitis, as well as the analysis of the polymicrobial interaction in the oral bacterial communities. Efforts to limit growth of bacteria and the formation of substances that eventually damage the tissues supporting the teeth have been the foundation of periodontal therapy. Systemic antibiotic administration for periodontitis has significant shortcomings, attracting attentiontowards the advancement of localized drug delivery systems capable ofmaintaining effective antibiotic concentrations at the intended site throughout the course of treatment with minimum side effects. A controlled release system that can be placed within the periodontal pocket so as to extend therapeutic concentrations at the desired site at a considerably lesser dosage is a pressing priority. Chitosan, a potential carbohydrate biopolymer, is receiving scientific interest in a diverse range of biomedical fields due to its exceptional chemical and pharmacokinetic attributes. Chitosan is a biocompatible and biodegradable naturally occurring polysaccharide with several uses in dentistry owing to its functional versatility and easy accessibility. The applications of chitosan are vast, exciting, and still unexplored. Thisreviewfocusesonthe potential uses of chitosan in periodontology.