As the link between oral and overall health becomes more established and well-known to doctors and patients alike, saliva kits are increasingly showing promise as preventive tools. To fine-tune these kits, scientists are researching saliva itself.
Recently, Penn Dental Medicine announced that its researchers have identified nine inflammation proteins indicative of gum disease progression after tracking 415 patients for about a year and a half.
“One can imagine a saliva test kit, based on such findings, that dentists could use and even periodontitis patients could use at home—it could be a very useful personalized-dentistry tool for assessing risk and tailoring care,” said study lead author Flavia Teles, DDS, MS, DMSc, associate professor in the Department of Basic and Translational Sciences at Penn Dental Medicine.
The researchers assessed the periodontitis status of the participants every two months for a year by taking saliva and blood samples. Saliva samples were tested for 10 inflammation-linked proteins, while blood samples were tested for five, among 302 patients with early to severe periodontitis and 113 individuals without periodontitis. Subjects with gum disease were offered standard non-surgical periodontal therapy and were re-assessed three and six months later.
The results showed that patients with severe periodontitis experienced the most disease progression during the year and had significantly higher levels of several inflammation-related signaling proteins in their saliva, including interferon-gamma, IL-6, VEGF, IL-1β and MMP-8. While inflammation proteins in the blood did not differ significantly by degree of disease progression, the researchers found that MMP-8, MMP-9 and C-reactive protein levels fell significantly following treatment.
Severe gum disease impacts 19% worldwide
In 2022, the Global Oral Health Status Report published by the World Health Organization (WHO) provided the first-ever comprehensive picture of oral disease burden with data profiles for 194 countries. The report showed that almost half of the world’s population (45 per cent or 3.5 billion people) suffered from oral diseases, with three out of every four affected people living in low- and middle-income countries. The report also sounded the alarm over the global cases of oral diseases increasing by one billion over the last 30 years.
The report also found that the most common oral diseases are tooth decay, severe gum disease, tooth loss and oral cancers. Meanwhile, the WHO estimates that severe periodontal diseases impact about 19 per cent of the global adult population, representing more than 1 billion cases worldwide.
Saliva kit market projected to reach $1.31B
According to market research data, the global saliva collection and diagnostics market is valued at an estimated $819.67 million (USD) in 2024 and is projected to grow to approximately $1.31 billion by 2034. The market is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.76 per cent over the forecast period.
Rising demand for rapid disease diagnosis is the primary factor driving market growth. Increasing public awareness about safe diagnostic solutions, along with advancements in infant sample collection technology, is also expected to further support market expansion.
