Molecular Regulators for the Wnt/β-Catenin Signalling Pathway for Bone Remodelling in Periodontitis: A Scoping Review

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that destroys the periodontal ligament, leading to alveolar bone loss and ultimately tooth loss. The Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway is an important molecular signalling pathway that controls the expression of bone remodelling-related genes. Manipulating this pathway is a recurring theme in recent studies, suggesting a viable therapeutic target. A scoping review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines to identify the latest molecular regulators used in manipulating the signalling pathway between 2007 and 2025 from databases such as Web of Science, Ovid Medline, and Scopus. Only primary articles relevant to the signalling pathway, periodontitis, and bone homeostasis were selected. A total of 22 articles were identified, using various molecules ranging from plant extracts such as field horsetail to pre-existing drugs. The molecules function by altering the activities of targets within the signalling pathway such as β-catenin and GSK-3β phosphorylation, ultimately increasing osteoblast differentiation for bone growth that was reduced in periodontitis cases. The Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway is a favoured target for potential therapeutic interventions for periodontitis. However, most studies are limited to in vitro methods and requires further description on the relationships between periodontitis and the signalling pathway.