HYPE

Periodontal disease (PD) is a chronic inflammatory disease of multifactorial etiology, associated with oral dysbiosis (caused by pathogenic bacteria), and characterized by the progressive destruction of the tooth’s supporting apparatus (bone and gums). The incidence of PD in the adult population exceeds 65%, denoting an important public health problem.

To date, scaling and root planing (SRP) represents the treatment of choice associated with systemic or localized administration of antimicrobial agents. The use of local antibiotics for long periods may contribute to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains. Numerous studies have shown that plant-derived polyphenols can modulate host inflammatory responses by regulating immune cell polarization, proinflammatory cytokine synthesis and gene expression, as well as having antibacterial/antibiofilm activity.

The HYPE project aims to develop intra-pocket delivery systems composed of a thermo-sensitive gel and polyphenol-loaded polymeric nanoparticles. These systems, due to their visco-elastic and mucoadhesive properties, will easily penetrate the deepest and hard-to-reach areas of periodontal and peri-implant pockets, adhering to gingival tissue, alveolar bone or root and dental implant surfaces, performing antibacterial/antibiofilm, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions for local treatment of PD.