NLRP3 and periodontitis: Exosomes act as key mediators of pyroptosis in periodontitis. Salivary exosomes with reduced miR-223-3p failed to inhibit the NLRP3–caspase-1–GSDMD pathway, leading to heightened macrophage pyroptosis and release of IL-1β and IL-6 in macrophages. Indicating that salivary exosomes actively modulate periodontal inflammation by inflammasome activation [31].