Abstract

Soybean isoflavones including genistein, daidzein and glycitein have excellent therapeutic and health properties. In this article, we reviewed soy isoflavones with a specific focus on the role they play in dentistry. In the present article, we reviewed English published articles up to December 2020 and summarized their effectiveness in inflammation, bone effects, disease prevention, and treatment of periodontal tissue and its related diseases, as well as their anti-microbial activity against oral bacteria, oral, head and neck cancers. This study shows that the anti-inflammatory effect of soy isoflavones in periodontal disease is through its inhibitory effect on the production of inflammatory cytokines and inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity. It has been observed that isoflavones can stop cell division in Staphylococcus aureus and may be helpful to treat salivary gland disorders caused by estrogen deficiency. Genistein and daidzein increase mineral content in bones and protect against bone loss and genistein may be beneficial as preventive chemical agents for head and neck cancers. © 2021 Association for Dental Sciences of the Republic of China