The most well established effect of high-energy visible light on retinal health and vision is acute phototoxicity, which is seen in people who stare directly at an arc lamp or the sun. Generally, light at wavelengths in the neighborhood of 400 nm consists of the highest-energy photons that reach the retina thus, there is concern about the effects of such high-energy light on the retina. Accordingly, blue photons have greater energy than photons with longer wavelengths, and high-frequency blue light is sometimes referred to as high-energy visible light ( Fig. Blue light has the shortest wavelengths of all types of visible light (380–495 nm). Visible light is usually defined as having wavelengths in the range of 400–700 nm i.e., between those of infrared (with longer wavelengths) and UV (with shorter wavelengths) radiation. Light is radiation from within a certain portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. This review summarizes the current understanding of the mechanisms underlying the effects of blue light on oral tissues and discusses possible protective measures against these phenomena. Since these effects are undesirable in biological systems, protective measures against them are required. It has also been reported that the thermal reactions induced by light irradiation cause biological damage. The reactions induced by blue light mainly involve reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are generated by pigment excitation and cause oxidative stress. We have investigated the effects of blue light on biological tissues and cells. While there has been lots of research into the damage to the eyes and skin caused by UV rays, there are few reports about the effects of blue light on the human body, particularly on oral tissue. Therefore, blue light is indispensable for modern dental treatment. Furthermore, high-power LED irradiation has been used to shorten the treatment time relative to that of conventional dental therapy. In addition, since the 1980s blue light, which has similar biocidal effects to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, has been frequently applied to photo-activated resin composite systems to provide protection during tooth restoration procedures. The bleaching mechanism underlying such treatment is considered to involve the penetration of hydrogen peroxide into teeth and the production of free radicals, which can oxidize organic stains. Moreover, various blue light-producing units for vital tooth bleaching, such as halogen curing lights, light-emitting diodes (LED), diode lasers, argon lasers, and plasma arc lamps, have been introduced in order to achieve better activation of hydrogen peroxide within a shorter time period, resulting in better esthetic outcomes. In-office vital tooth bleaching is one of the most popular bleaching methods and is based on the application of 25–40% hydrogen peroxide products to the external surfaces of the teeth. Recently, the esthetics of the smile and teeth, including tooth color, have become of great importance to patients, resulting in an increase in the frequency of requests for tooth bleaching. In the future, we have to promote discussion about the suppression of phototoxicity in dentistry, including concerning the use of antioxidants to protect against phototoxic damage. Therefore, it is presumed that it is necessary to suppress the accumulation of oxidative stressors in oral tissues during treatment. There have not been any reports that suggested that the ROS-induced phototoxicity associated with blue-light irradiation causes direct clinical damage, but some disorders are caused by the accumulation of ROS. However, they also showed that such oxidative stress is inhibited by antioxidants. Unfortunately, much of the research in this field has just begun, but our recent findings demonstrated that blue-light irradiation generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) and induces oxidative stress in oral tissue. In recent years, the eye damage and non-thermal injuries caused by blue light, the so-called “blue light hazard”, have gained attention. However, light can cause various toxicities, and thermal injuries caused by light irradiation are regarded as particularly important. Therefore, the use of light is indispensable in dental treatment. In addition, many dentists use magnification loupes to enable them to provide more accurate dental treatment. In dentistry, blue light is widely used for tooth bleaching and restoration procedures involving composite resin.
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