Salivary diagnostics

Orthod Craniofac Res. 2009 Aug;12(3):206-11. doi: 10.1111/j.1601-6343.2009.01454.x.

Abstract

The ability to monitor health status, disease onset and progression, and treatment outcome through non-invasive means is a most desirable goal in the health care promotion and delivery. There are three prerequisites to materialize this goal: specific biomarkers associated with a health or disease state; a non-invasive approach to detect and monitor the biomarkers; and the technologies to discriminate the biomarkers. A national initiative catalyzed by the National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) has created a roadmap to achieve these goals through the use of oral fluids as the diagnostic medium to scrutinize the health and/or disease status of individuals. Progress has shown this is an ideal opportunity to bridge state of the art saliva-based biosensors, optimized to disease discriminatory salivary biomarkers, for diagnostic applications. Oral fluid being the 'mirror of body' is a perfect medium to be explored for health and disease surveillance. The translational applications and opportunities are enormous.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers / analysis*
  • Disease Progression
  • Health Status
  • Humans
  • Indicators and Reagents
  • Proteome / analysis
  • Saliva / chemistry*
  • Salivary Proteins and Peptides / analysis*
  • Technology, Dental
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Indicators and Reagents
  • Proteome
  • Salivary Proteins and Peptides