The Role and Progress of Antimicrobial Peptides in Managing Oral Biofilms: A Narrative Review

Oral chronic infectious diseases are intrinsically linked to the formation of dental plaque biofilms, which significantly enhance bacterial resistance to antimicrobial agents and host defenses. The widespread misuse of antibiotics has further compounded this issue by selecting for drug-resistant microbial populations, complicating the clinical management of biofilm-associated oral diseases. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have emerged as promising therapeutic agents due to their excellent biocompatibility, broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, and low propensity for inducing bacterial resistance. This review aims to synthesise the role and latest progress of AMPs in combating oral biofilms, with a specific focus on their application potential against Cariogenic Biofilms, Periodontal Disease Biofilms, Root Canal Infection Biofilms, Peri-implantitis Biofilms, and Candida-associated biofilms. Furthermore, it summarises contemporary knowledge on AMP types, their mechanisms of biofilm inhibition, and advanced strategies for peptide modification and design, thereby bridging a critical gap in the current literature and providing essential insights for future AMP engineering and clinical translation.