Saliva has emerged as a powerful, non-invasive diagnostic fluid, offering a promising alternative to blood for the detection and monitoring of systemic diseases. Rich in proteins, nucleic acids, hormones, and microbiota, salivary biomarkers reflect physiological and pathological states throughout the body. Advances in omics technologies and biosensor platforms have enabled the identification of salivary signatures associated with conditions such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders. Saliva collection is simple, stress-free, and cost-effective, making it ideal for repeated sampling and large-scale screening. Moreover, salivary diagnostics support real-time disease monitoring and prognosis, enhancing personalized medicine approaches. As research deepens, the integration of salivary biomarkers into clinical practice holds transformative potential for early detection, disease progression tracking, and therapeutic response assessment across a wide spectrum of systemic illnesses.

Although salivary biomarkers offer a non-invasive, accessible, and cost-effective approach to diagnosing and monitoring systemic diseases, their clinical application remains limited. Major challenges include variability in saliva composition, lack of standardized collection and processing protocols, and insufficient validation of biomarkers across diverse populations and disease stages. These issues hinder reproducibility and the establishment of reliable diagnostic thresholds. To overcome these barriers, this research aims to identify and validate robust, disease-specific salivary biomarkers using standardized methodologies. Recent advances in high-throughput omics technologies - such as proteomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics - combined with artificial intelligence and machine learning, have significantly improved the sensitivity and specificity of biomarker detection. Furthermore, the development of portable biosensors and point-of-care diagnostic devices is accelerating the integration of salivary diagnostics into clinical practice. This research will leverage these innovations to enhance early detection, real-time monitoring, and personalized treatment strategies for a range of systemic diseases.

The goal of this Research Topic is to advance the field of salivary diagnostics by fostering multidisciplinary efforts to address critical gaps, improve standardization, and ultimately support the implementation of saliva-based tests in clinical routine. By collating cutting-edge research, we aim to accelerate the translation of salivary biomarkers into impactful tools for precision healthcare across a broad range of systemic diseases.

We welcome contributions that explore the breadth of this evolving field, including but not limited to:
- Discovery and validation of robust, disease-specific salivary biomarkers
- Standardization of saliva collection, processing, and analytical protocols
- Application of omics approaches (proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, etc.) in salivary diagnostics
- Development and evaluation of biosensors and point-of-care diagnostic tools
- Integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning for biomarker analysis and interpretation
- Comparative studies on the effectiveness of salivary versus blood-based diagnostics
- Addressing regulatory, ethical, and implementation challenges for clinical translation of salivary diagnostics
- Clinical applications in early disease detection, monitoring, and personalized treatment

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Salivary Biomarkers: Diagnosis, Monitoring, and Prognosis of Systemic Diseases Through Saliva