Oral local drug delivery: An overview

Oral cavity is a site where both local and systemic delivery of drugs can take place. Oral route has been the most convenient and commonly employed route of drug delivery. Oral mucosal drug delivery is an alternative and promising method of systemic drug delivery which offers several advantages. Local delivery allows topical treatment of various oral mucosal diseases. However, treatment can be made effective if the drugs can be targeted directly to the site of lesion, thereby reducing the systemic side effects. This review mainly focuses on the oral mucosa, its structure and permeability features, various routes of drug delivery and important aspects of oral mucoadhesive drug delivery, drug dosage forms for various oral lesions.