Salivary Diagnostics in Pediatrics and the Status of Saliva-Based Biosensors

Salivary biomarkers are increasingly being used as an alternative to diagnose and monitor the progression of various diseases due to their ease of use, on site application, non-invasiveness, and most likely improved patient compliance. Here, we highlight the role of salivary biosensors in the general population, followed by the application of saliva as a diagnostic tool in the pediatric population. We searched the literature for pediatric applications of salivary biomarkers, more specifically, in children from 0 to 18 years old. The use of those biomarkers spans autoimmune, developmental disorders, oncology, neuropsychiatry, respiratory illnesses, gastrointestinal disorders, and oral diseases. Four major applications of salivary proteins as biomarkers are: (1) dental health (caries, stress from orthodontic appliances, and gingivitis); (2) gastrointestinal conditions (eosinophilic esophagitis, acid reflux, appendicitis); (3) metabolic conditions (obesity, diabetes); and (4) respiratory conditions (asthma, allergic rhinitis, small airway inflammation, pneumonia). Genomics, metabolomics, microbiomics, proteomics, and transcriptomics, are various other classifications for biosensing based on the type of biomarkers used and reviewed here. Lastly, we describe the recent advances in pediatric biosensing applications using saliva. This work guides scientists in fabricating saliva-based biosensors by comprehensively overviewing the potential markers and techniques that can be employed.