Infectious diseases caused by bacteria remain a serious and global problem in human health. Herein, the discovery and application of antibiotics, which has attracted much attention in the past years, has helped to cure numerous infectious diseases and made huge contributions in the biomedical field. However, the widespread use of the broad-spectrum antibiotics has led to serious drug resistance for many human bacterial pathogens. In particular, bacterial drug resistance decreases therapeutic effects and leads to high mortality. Inspiringly, the introduction of nanomaterials in the biomedical field makes it possible to overcome the difficulty in bacterial drug resistance attributed to their unique antibacterial mechanism. Recently, a variety of metal- and metal oxide-based nanomaterials have been fully integrated in antibacterial applications and achieved excellent performances. Among them, cerium- and cerium oxide-based nanomaterials have received much attention worldwide. Remarkably, cerium oxide nanoparticles with lower toxicity act as effective antibacterial agents owing to their unique functional mechanism against pathogens through the reversible conversion of oxidation state between Ce(III) and Ce(IV). This article provides an overview of the state-of-the-art design and antibacterial applications of cerium- and cerium oxide-based materials. The first part discusses the underlying antibacterial mechanisms for cerium- and cerium oxide-based materials currently applied in biomedicine. The second part focuses on various antibacterial-related materials and their applications. In addition, the existing problems and future perspectives of the cerium- and cerium oxide-based materials make up the third part of this review. This paper could provide the possible mechanisms for antibacterial activities, various designs of cerium- and cerium oxide-based materials, and related antibacterial properties.

The heavy burden of oral diseases such as oral cancers, dental caries, periodontitis, etc. and their consequence on the patient's quality of life demonstrated an urgent demand for developing effective therapeutics. Quercetin as a natural derived flavonoid, could be utilized in the therapeutic formulation of various diseases such as diabetes, breast cancer and asthma, owing to its prominent pharmacological values. In the last decade, the applications of quercetin as a natural compound in oral treatment have attracted increasing interest due to its multifunction including antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antineoplastic activities. Besides, considering the low bioavailability of quercetin, great efforts have been made in its drug delivery systems to address the problem of limited application. Therefore, this review summarized the cutting-edge researches on versatile effects and enhanced bioavailability of quercetin resulting from innovative drug delivery systems, particularly focused on its potential against oral diseases. The application of quercetin would provide novel and promising therapeutic approach for clinical treatment, promoting the development of global dental public health.

Background: Periodontal disease, an oral disease that initiates with plaque biofilm infection, affects 10% of the global population. Due to the complexity of tooth root anatomy, biofilm resistance and antibiotic resistance, traditional mechanical debridement and antibiotic removal of biofilms are not ideal. Nitric oxide (NO) gas therapy and its multifunctional therapy are effective methods to clear biofilms. However, large and controlled delivery of NO gas molecules is currently a great challenge.

Periodontitis involves hyperactivated stromal cells that recruit immune cells, exacerbating inflammation. This study presents an ATP-responsive metal–organic framework (Mg/Zn-MOF) designed for periodontitis treatment, utilizing ion interference to modulate immune responses and prevent tissue destruction. Addressing the challenges of synergistic ion effects and targeted delivery faced by traditional immunomodulatory nanomaterials, the Mg/Zn-MOF system is activated by extracellular ATP—a pivotal molecule in periodontitis pathology—ensuring targeted ion release. Magnesium and zinc ions released from the framework synergistically inhibit membrane pore formation by attenuating Gasdermin D (GSDMD) expression and activation. This action curtails pyroptosis, lactate dehydrogenase and IL-1β release, thwarting the onset of inflammatory cascades. Mechanistically, Mg/Zn-MOF intervenes in both the NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD and Caspase-11/GSDMD pathways to mitigate pyroptosis. In vivo assessments confirm its effectiveness in diminishing inflammatory cell infiltration and preserving collagen integrity, thereby safeguarding against periodontal tissue damage and bone loss. This investigation highlights the promise of ion-interference strategies in periodontitis immunotherapy, representing a significant stride in developing targeted therapeutic approaches.