Saliva Biomarkers: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

Saliva is a highly versatile biological fluid that is easy to gather in a non-invasive manner and that helps in the diagnosis of multiple diseases. In fact, saliva genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics and microbiome-based discoveries have led to complementary and powerful diagnostic information. The objective of this review is to offer an update on the contribution of various salivary biomarkers in order to diagnose diseases of the oral cavity. In children and neonates, saliva is the preferred medium not only for diagnosis of caries and aggressive periodontitis but also for a number of systemic conditions, metabolic diseases, cognitive functions, stress assessment and evaluation of immunological and inflammatory responses to vaccination. In recent years, advances in biotechnology, combined with a clinical demand for more user-friendly and non-invasive platforms, have led to the emergence of salivary diagnostic assays to better monitor disease, infection, and development. Perhaps, no other patient population could benefit more from these advances than paediatrics. However, further studies are required to identify new biomarkers and verify their reported role in the diagnosis and/or prognosis of oral diseases.