Salivary Biomarkers in Dental Caries Assessment
Summary
Saliva is increasingly recognised as a non-invasive diagnostic fluid that reflects both local oral and systemic health. In the context of dental caries, salivary biomarkers encompass proteins, peptides, enzymes, metabolites and microbial signatures that together inform on demineralisation processes, microbial virulence and host defence status. Advances in high-throughput proteomics, metabolomics and microbiome profiling have uncovered networks of innate immune proteins—such as histatins, mucins and proline-rich peptides—alongside shifts in key cariogenic species. These insights support early detection of disease, individual risk stratification and the development of personalised preventive strategies. Emerging saliva-based biosensors and point-of-care platforms promise to bring chairside caries assessment into routine dental practice, with global significance for improving oral health outcomes and reducing the burden of untreated decay.
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Salivary Biomarkers in Dental Caries Assessment publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in salivary biomarkers in dental caries assessment across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Biomarker: A measurable indicator of a biological state or condition, used for disease detection or monitoring.
Proteomics: The large-scale study of proteins, their structures, functions and interactions in a biological sample.
Metabolomics: The comprehensive analysis of small-molecule metabolites within a biological specimen.
Demineralisation: The loss of mineral content from tooth enamel or dentine, leading to cavity formation.
Early childhood caries (ECC): Dental decay affecting primary teeth in children aged six years or younger.
References
- Salivary Diagnostics in Pediatrics and the Status of Saliva-Based Biosensors. Biosensors (2023).
- Saliva Decreases Sucrose-Induced Cariogenicity in an Experimental Biological Caries Model. Microorganisms (2023).
- Salivary proteins and microbiota as biomarkers for early childhood caries risk assessment. International Journal of Oral Science (2017).
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