Preclinical Advances in Functionalized Nanozymes for Periodontitis: From Antibacterial Action to Tissue Regeneration.

BACKGROUND

Periodontitis is a chronic infectious disease caused by bacteria, which leads to destruction of periodontal tissues, tooth loss, and systemic complications. Conventional treatments often fail to counteract the suppression of periodontal tissue regeneration caused by the persistent inflammatory microenvironment.

SCOPE: This review focuses on the application of functionalized nanozymes in the treatment of periodontitis, covering the classification of nanozymes, their mechanisms of action, and recent advances in nanozyme-based therapeutic strategies.

KEY FINDINGS: Functionalized nanozymes, with their multiple bioactivities including antibacterial, antioxidant, and osteogenic stimulation, represent a promising complement to existing therapeutic approaches. Their sophisticated designs enhance biofilm eradication, modulate immune responses, and facilitate tissue regeneration, thereby overcoming key limitations of existing periodontal treatments.

CONCLUSION

Functionalized nanozymes, particularly motor-based composite nanozymes, show great promise for periodontitis treatment due to their self-propulsion and multifunctional design (antibacterial, antioxidant, osteogenic). However, long-term biosafety, especially metal-ion accumulation, remains the key bottleneck for clinical translation. With continued optimization and standardized safety evaluation, these nanozyme platforms may open a new precision therapy avenue for drug-resistant refractory periodontitis.