Harnessing Polymeric Dissolvable Microneedles: Precision Delivery of Therapeutics for Oral Ulcers

Oral ulcers are a prevalent and recurrent condition that significantly impacts the patient's quality of life by causing pain, discomfort, and difficulty in eating, speaking, and brushing their teeth. These ulcers can be triggered by diverse etiologies, from trauma to autoimmune disorders, which complicate their management, and they often require targeted treatment to promote healing and alleviate pain. Conventional treatments, such as corticosteroids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and topical analgesics, among others, rely on synthetic medications that provide temporary relief and require frequent reapplication, thereby limiting their effectiveness. Thus, the management of oral ulcers necessitates the need for innovative therapeutic approaches. Recent advancements in nanotechnology and transdermal drug delivery have led to the development of dissolving microneedles (MNs) loaded with nanotherapeutics for delivering active therapeutics directly to affected oral tissues as a novel strategy for treating oral ulcers. Dissolving MNs offer a minimally invasive, painless, and efficient method for delivering therapeutic agents directly to the ulcer site, enhancing drug bioavailability, and ensuring sustained release. These biodegradable MNs dissolve upon application, eliminating the need for repeated drug application and thereby improving patient compliance. The synergistic approach of nanotherapeutics encapsulated within dissolving MNs, including nanoparticles, exosomes, and liposomes, among others, effectively addresses the multifactorial nature of oral ulcers by ensuring localized treatment and mitigating the systemic side effects associated with conventional drug delivery methods. Taken together, this review aims to integrate the current knowledge of these innovative technologies while highlighting future directions for research and clinical applications in treating oral ulcers.