The potential of marine organism–derived chitosan as an antimicrobial biomaterial against oral pathogens in dentistry

Potensi kitosan berbasis organisme laut sebagai biomaterial antimikroba terhadap patogen oral dalam kedokteran gigi

Abstract

The use of conventional antimicrobial agents, such as chlorhexidine and antibiotics, whilst effective, often leads to side effects and the risk of microbial resis-tance; consequently, there is a need for antimicrobial biomaterials that are safer, biocompatible and sustainable. This systematic review aims to assess the potential of marine-derived chitosan as an antimicrobial biomaterial against oral pathogens in the field of dentistry, using a systematic review approach based on the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. A literature search was conducted in the PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar databases for articles pu-blished between 2020 and 2026. Of the 287 articles identified, 15 primary studies met the inclusion criteria and were analysed qualitatively. The results of the synthesis indicate that chitosan derived from shrimp waste, crustaceans, and squid beaks exhibits significant antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity against va-rious oral pathogens. Several studies also show that chitosan-based mouthwash and oral spray formulations are as effective as chlorhexidine, whilst causing less enamel staining. Furthermore, chitosan-based scaffolds demonstrate high biocompatibility and the ability to support tissue and alveolar bone regenera-tion. It is concluded that chitosan derived from marine organisms holds great potential as an antimicrobial and regenerative biomaterial in dentistry.