REGULATORY ROLE OF INFLAMMATORY MEDIATORS IN THE PATHOGENESIS OF ORAL INFLAMMATORY DISEASES: A REVIEW
Abstract
Inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity are increasingly recognized as immune-mediated disorders in which disease progression is largely determined by dysregulated host inflammatory responses rather than by microbial factors alone. This review aimed to analyze the regulatory role of inflammatory mediators in the pathogenesis of periodontitis and pulpitis and to evaluate their diagnostic and therapeutic significance. A structured literature search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases for publications published between 2000 and 2025. Relevant studies addressing cytokines, chemokines, matrix metalloproteinases, oxidative stress, lipid mediators, osteoimmunology, and host-modulation therapy in oral inflammatory diseases were included. The analysis demonstrated that IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-17, reactive oxygen species, matrix metalloproteinases, and the RANKL/OPG axis play central roles in inflammatory tissue destruction and chronicity. In addition, increasing evidence supports the concept of defective inflammation resolution associated with impaired specialized pro-resolving mediator pathways. Biomarker analysis of saliva and gingival crevicular fluid appears promising for disease monitoring and personalized therapeutic strategies. Inflammatory mediator regulation represents a key pathogenetic mechanism in oral inflammatory diseases and may serve as a promising target for biomarker-guided diagnostics and host-modulation therapy in personalized dental medicine.