Injectable, ROS-scavenging, drug-loaded hydrogel dressings of natural origin for oral postoperative care

Due to the unique oral environment, the adhesion of wound dressings to oral mucosa is a significant challenge. To resist liquid flushing and mouth mobility, it is necessary to develop oral wound coverings with high wet tissue adherence. We reported a method for making G-TP/U hydrogels, which are injectable hydrogel dressings made using gelatin, tea polyphenols, and urea. The injectable hydrogels have high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and may securely cling to a moist surface. The G-TP/U hydrogels showed superior injectable properties and tissue adhesion ability, and the adhesion ability underwater increased significantly. It exhibited excellent antioxidant properties in vitro. The G-TP/U hydrogels showed outstanding tissue adhesion ability and could adhere for a long time in a humid oral environment. More importantly, G-TP hydrogels include solely hydrogen bond crosslinking, which degrades quickly in the physiological environment, enabling controlled drug release.