Utilizing Saliva Biomarkers for Diagnostic Purposes

Saliva, as a complex fluid composed of secretory products from salivary glands, plays different roles in the oral cavity. Saliva has potentially been used for the diagnosis of viral, bacterial, and systemic diseases in the last few years. Individuals with minimal training can collect saliva as a diagnostic fluid easily and non-invasively. Saliva is a simple and economical method for screening the public. However, saliva has various levels of variability and instability. A systematic search of published literature was performed on Medline using PubMed. Several keywords, including saliva, systemic disease, disease, health, and diagnosis, were used in this search. This review discusses the diagnostic potential of salivary systemic diseases such as infectious, malignant, and other systemic diseases.