Role of Quorum-sensing Inhibitors in Managing Oral Biofilms: A Narrative Review

One of the most robust microbial ecosystems in the human body is found in oral biofilms. These biofilms create serious difficulties in the treatment of periodontal disease, dental caries, and peri-implant diseases. Traditional antimicrobial approaches often fail due to the intrinsic resistance of biofilm communities and their ability to evade host defenses. Quorum Sensing (QS) is a regulatory system that responds to bacterial cell population density, virulence factor expression, and modulates gene expression. Oral biofilms on dental implants and tooth surfaces can be disrupted using advanced QS-based strategies. A complex bacterial communication system, i.e., QS lets oral bacteria coordinate their activities, including biofilm development. Through chemical signals, bacteria sense and respond to population density, controlling gene expression, producing biofilm growth, and higher pathogenicity. One interesting approach to stop biofilm generation and lower pathogenicity is disrupting QS signalling pathways. The addition of Quorum Sensing Inhibitors (QSI) to tooth surface biofilms and biofilms related to dental implants has lately attracted much attention in studies. Recent advances in nanotechnology, including nanoparticle- and microparticle-mediated QSI delivery, present innovative solutions for sustained release and surface functionalisation of dental implants, thereby preventing colonisation at its earliest stages. The emergence of QSI-based treatments has the potential to solve the worldwide concern of antibiotic resistance while simultaneously improving treatment outcomes. This review will deal with the current understanding of QS mechanisms in oral biofilms and the strategies to manage the oral biofilms using QS inhibition.