Fluorescence-Guided Chitosan and Eugenol-Based Carbon Dots for Comprehensive Infection Control and In Vitro Wound-Healing Applications in Dentistry

Background/Objectives: The transformation of multifunctioning nanomaterials, incorporating antimicrobial activity and regenerative incompatibility, is becoming even more significant in the modern dental therapeutic context. Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) is primarily linked to dental caries and pulp inflammation and requires new strategies that would be efficient at controlling the infection and promoting tissue repair. The objectives of the present research were to synthesize and critique the use of chitosan–eugenol carbon dots (CECDs) as a versatile nanoplatform in the field of dentistry to implement antimicrobial and regenerative dentistry. Methods: CECDs synthesized from biocompatible chitosan and eugenol were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), evaluated from S. mutans inhibition via MIC/MBC, and assessed from cytocompatibility using 3T3-L1 fibroblast viability, morphology, and migration assays. Results: The resultant CECDs had a spherical morphology and a size of 5 ± 2 nm. The EDX analysis established the existence of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen labeling successful incorporation of heteroatoms, as well as surface functional