Recent perspectives on precision-targeting therapy against oral biofilm

Abstract

Background: Oral biofilm-derived diseases pose a significant clinical challenge due to their persistent nature and increasing drug resistance, contributing to a substantial global economic burden. Conventional treatments—such as mechanical debridement, antiseptic agents, and laser therapy—though partially effective, often lack specificity, resulting in non-targeted microbial killing and disruption of the ecological balance. Objective: This review provides an updated overview of the application of precision antimicrobial therapies against oral biofilms, with a particular focus on pH-responsive materials and bacteriophage-based strategies. Design: A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed and Google Scholar databases from January 2016 to January 2026. A total of 84 full-text articles were included for qualitative synthesis. Results: The collective findings demonstrate that multiple precision-targeting strategies—spanning from bacteriophage therapy to pH-responsive antimicrobial materials—exhibit distinct advantages in combating oral biofilms. Conclusion: The common core principle underpinning these approaches lies in their ‘precision-targeting’ capability: the ability to identify and interfere with specific targets or biological processes. This attribute not only significantly enhances therapeutic efficacy but also paves the way for developing personalized, microbiome-preserving strategies for the prevention and management of oral diseases.