Salivary Biomarkers

Salivary Biomarkers are measurable biological indicators found in saliva that reflect physiological or pathological processes in the body. In public health and epidemiological research, salivary biomarkers are increasingly used as non-invasive tools for disease detection, exposure assessment, and health monitoring. They can indicate stress, hormonal changes, inflammation, infection, metabolic disorders, and substance use. Compared to blood sampling, saliva collection is simple, cost-effective, and suitable for large population studies, children, and community-based research. Public health applications include monitoring chronic disease risk, evaluating environmental and occupational exposures, and supporting early diagnosis. Salivary biomarkers also play a role in behavioral and mental health research by measuring stress-related hormones. By enabling scalable and minimally invasive data collection, salivary biomarkers enhance population health research and support preventive, evidence-based public health strategies.