Recent Trends in the use of Saliva in the Laboratory Diagnosis of Oral Diseases

Abstract

Background: Saliva is a useful, simple and safe laboratory test medium for the purpose of making oral diagnosis and indeed systemic diagnosis. Most human microbial pathogens have been isolated from oral secretion. Publication on this important area of research is rare in our environment.

Aim: This literature review was undertaken for educational purposes and to provide a good reference for future researchers.

Methods: PubMed and Google data bases were searched using the following expressions: ‘saliva and diagnosis’ as well as ‘saliva and laboratory tests’. Manual search of the literature was also conducted. This study was limited to the use of saliva in the diagnosis of oral diseases.

Result: The result shows that dental caries, periodontal diseases, autoimmune and hereditary diseases, as well as viral infections could be diagnosed from saliva. Markers that could aid in the diagnosis of some malignant diseases like squamous cell carcinoma had been found in salivary secretion.

Conclusion: Saliva is a good and more convenient medium for making laboratory tests. We envisage that the use of oral saliva in epidemiological survey and oral diagnosis will become routine in the nearest future.

Key words: Recent Trends, Saliva, Laboratory diagnosis, Oral Diseases