Beneficial Effects of Melatonin on Periodontitis Management: Far More Than Oral Cavity

Abstract

Periodontitis as a highly prevalent chronic infection/inflammatory disease can eventually lead to tooth loss and masticatory dysfunction. It also has a negative impact on general health and largely impairs quality of life. The tissue destruction during periodontitis is mainly caused by the excessive immune-inflammatory response; hence, how to modulate the host's reaction is of profound importance for effective periodontal treatment and tissue protection. Melatonin, as an endogenous hormone exhibiting multiple biological functions such as circadian rhythm regulation, antioxidant, and anti-inflammation, has been widely used in general healthcare. Notably, the past few years have witnessed increasing evidence for the application of melatonin as an adjunctive approach in the treatment of periodontitis and periodontitis-related systemic comorbidities. The detailed underlying mechanisms and more verification from clinical practice are still lacking, however, and further investigations are highly required. Importantly, it is essential to establish standard guidelines in the near future for the clinical administration of melatonin for periodontal health and general wellbeing.

Keywords: adjunctive treatment; host-modulation therapy; melatonin; periodontitis; systemic comorbidities; tissue destruction.

Figure 1

Melatonin exerts multitudinal biological functions for periodontal tissue protection. When facing challenges from periodontopathogens, immune cells secret a cluster of (pro)inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, enzymes, and mediators, which cause tissue damage through various mechanisms (see the text above for details). Melatonin protects periodontal tissues from destruction via its antimicrobial, anti-inflammation, antioxidation, and bone protection effects (see the text below for details).