Interleukin(IL)-17 is a type of cytokine that is mainly produced by T-help 17 cells. Most studies focused on the role of IL-17 in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The role of IL-17 in oral diseases has been studied because of its presence in oral tissues. In this paper, we reviewed the recent advances in IL-17 with regard to the following six aspects: IL-17 structure, IL-17-producing cells, molecular mechanism, target cells, biological function, and effect of IL-17 in oral diseases.
