Validating proteomic biomarkers in saliva: distinguishing between health and periodontal diseases.

Introduction: Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by progressive soft tissue and alveolar bone loss due to interactions between microbial dental plaque and the host response. Despite extensive research on biomarkers from saliva or gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) for diagnosing periodontitis, clinical and radiological parameters remain the primary diagnostic tools.

Areas Covered: This review discusses the ongoing research into salivary biomarkers for periodontitis diagnosis, emphasizing the need for reliable biomarkers to differentiate between periodontal health and disease. Salivary biomarker research has gained momentum with advancements in proteomic technologies, enabling noninvasive sample collection and revealing potential candidate biomarkers.

Expert Opinion: Proteomic research since the early 2000s has identified promising biomarkers and provided insights into the pathogenesis of periodontitis. Bioinformatic analysis of proteomic data elucidates the underlying biological mechanisms. This review summarizes key findings and highlights common potential biomarkers identified through proteomic research in periodontology.