Hydrogel-Based Therapeutics for Diabetic Oral Wounds: From Mechanisms to Applications

Diabetic oral wound healing is significantly impaired due to chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and immune dysfunction, often resulting in delayed recovery or severe infections. Hydrogels have emerged as promising biomaterials for treating diabetic oral wounds due to their excellent biocompatibility, high drug-loading capacity, strong adhesion, and tunable degradation properties. This review examines recent advancements in hydrogel-based therapies for diabetic oral wound healing, with a particular focus on their applications in mucosal repair, periodontal tissue regeneration, and bone defect restoration. Additionally, the antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-modulating properties of hydrogels are discussed, alongside their adhesion, mechanical strength, and controlled drug release behavior in complex oral environments. Despite their significant therapeutic potential, challenges remain regarding material degradation kinetics, drug release profiles, and potential cytotoxicity. Future research is expected to focus on the development of multifunctional stimuli-responsive hydrogels and AI-enabled hydrogel systems, providing more precise and effective solutions for the treatment of diabetic oral wounds.