A multifunctional tragacanth gum-chitosan hydrogel loaded with manganese ferrite nanoparticles for dental caries...

Dental caries, the most prevalent oral issue, poses a significant global health challenge. Traditional treatments for dental caries, including fluoride, sealants, and surgical options such as fillings or extractions, can be expensive and have numerous limitations, depending on their severity. Furthermore, dental caries significantly impacts quality of life, leading to pain, dietary restrictions, and social discomfort. Therefore, developing innovative hydrogels offers a promising solution to this urgent need in dental care. Such hydrogels were developed using magnetic manganese ferrite nanoparticles (MnFe₂O₄; MNPs) and tragacanth gum, along with chitosan. They are hydrophilic and biodegradable. Chitosan and tragacanth in these hydrogels provided significant adhesion to teeth, promising their application in the oral environment. A hemolysis assay with human blood and an MTT assay with fibroblasts demonstrated their biocompatibility. MNPs-based hydrogels exhibit significant antibacterial activity, achieving 100 % inhibition against cariogenic S. mutans, as well as effectiveness against other strains, such as S. aureus and E. coli. They also inhibit biofilm formation by ≥85.94 % against cariogenic S. mutans and other strains of S. aureus and E. coli. Additionally, they have inhibited in vitro demineralization and promoted remineralization in human teeth. Therefore, MNPs-based hydrogels could be a promising solution for preventing dental caries.