Over the past few decades, the free radicals and antioxidants have attracted tremendous importance in the field of dentistry. Depending on the level of free radicals in the body, they can either be harmful or helpful. Antioxidants are the substances that interact with and stabilize free radicals thereby protecting cells from the damage caused by free radicals. The indigenous antioxidants may be useful in preventing the harmful effects of oxidative stress. The present article presents a review on the free radicals formation, their role in disease pathogenesis, antioxidants and their potential role in endodontics.
Keywords: Free radicals; Reactive nitrogen species; Reactive oxygen species.