Saliva – A Promising Tool for Diagnosing Oral Diseases

Purpose of Review This review will present updates on the genome, transcriptome, proteome, metabolome, exosome, and microbiome of saliva and the wide range of biomarkers found within these salivary components. We will explore the effectiveness and potential of salivary diagnostics on specific diseases: dental caries and demineralization diseases, periodontal diseases and peri-implantitis, oral cancers, and Sjögren’s syndrome. Recent Findings Recent studies have shown the feasibility of saliva as a diagnostic tool, in addition to the emergence of many novel salivary biomarkers. Unfortunately, many of these studies do not explore further into the outcomes of patient-oriented health and do not demonstrate reliability in diverse patient populations. Summary Salivary diagnostics is an emerging field that uses saliva, for its non-invasive, fast, and cost-effective collection properties, as a diagnostic tool. In the near future, we expect that salivary diagnostics will benefit from technological advances and further studies to be used as a routine chair-side test included in a comprehensive diagnostic and risk assessment tool.