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Diagnostics
Special Issues
Digital Innovation in Salivary Diagnostics for Oral and Systemic Health
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Digital Innovation in Salivary Diagnostics for Oral and Systemic Health

A special issue of Diagnostics (ISSN 2075-4418). This special issue belongs to the section "Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence in Diagnostics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 3948

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Corina Marilena Cristache

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Dental Techniques, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: oral and maxillofacial surgery; implant dentistry; maxillofacial prosthodontics; dental materials; digital dentistry; artificial intelligence in dentistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Saliva is increasingly recognized as a powerful, non-invasive biofluid with significant potential for the early detection and monitoring of both oral and systemic diseases. This Special Issue aims to highlight the expanding role of saliva in precision diagnostics, focusing on its clinical utility across a spectrum of conditions, including dental caries, periodontal disease, oral cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, and chronic kidney disease. We invite original research articles, reviews, and case studies that explore emerging salivary biomarkers, innovative biosensing technologies for real-time monitoring, and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) for the analysis of complex salivary data. Given its ease of collection, low cost, and patient-friendly nature, saliva represents a transformative medium for accessible and routine health monitoring. This Special Issue seeks to showcase interdisciplinary advances that position saliva-based diagnostics at the forefront of personalized and preventive medicine, with the ultimate goal of enhancing early detection, improving patient outcomes, and contributing to the future of smart, data-driven healthcare.

Prof. Dr. Corina Marilena Cristache
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diagnostics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • saliva diagnosis
  • oral disease
  • systemic diseases
  • artificial intelligence
  • AI driven diagnosis

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

38 pages, 536 KB  
Review
Toward Smart Salivary Diagnostics: A Comprehensive Review of Heavy Metal Biomarkers and Digital Risk Modeling
by Claudia Florina Bogdan-Andreescu, Lucia Bubulac, Cristina-Crenguţa Albu, Dan Alexandru Slăvescu, Andreea Mariana Bănăţeanu, Oana Botoacă, Gabriela-Cornelia Muşat, Viorica Tudor, Emin Cadar and Mariana Păcurar
Diagnostics 2026, 16(4), 635; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16040635 - 22 Feb 2026
Viewed by 531
Abstract
Background: Saliva has been identified as a valuable diagnostic biofluid due to its non-invasive collection and its capacity to reflect oral and systemic biological processes. Advances in analytical chemistry, biosensing technologies, and artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted data integration have broadened the applications of [...] Read more.
Background: Saliva has been identified as a valuable diagnostic biofluid due to its non-invasive collection and its capacity to reflect oral and systemic biological processes. Advances in analytical chemistry, biosensing technologies, and artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted data integration have broadened the applications of salivary diagnostics. Among salivary exposome components, heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury, nickel, chromium, arsenic, and aluminum serve as biologically and clinically relevant indicators of environmental exposure, toxic burden, and disease-associated molecular disorders. Methods: This structured review integrates clinical, experimental, and translational studies published between January 2020 and January 2026 that examined salivary heavy metal profiling in relation to oral health. Evidence was identified using systematic searches of PubMed/MEDLINE and supplementary sources. Studies were qualitatively assessed regarding analytical methodologies, reported concentration ranges, biological mechanisms, disease associations, and the development of digital and AI-assisted diagnostic applications. Results: Thirteen human clinical studies and six animal or in vivo investigations met the inclusion criteria. Across these studies, altered salivary metal profiles were linked to oxidative stress, inflammatory signaling, immune dysregulation, microbiome disturbances, and genotoxic markers relevant to periodontal disease, oral mucosal pathology, and the risk of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was the predominant analytical platform, while emerging biosensor technologies showed potential for rapid detection and monitoring. Digital and AI-based approaches were identified as promising tools for integrating metallomic data with clinical and molecular biomarkers to support exposure-informed risk stratification. Conclusions: Salivary heavy metal profiling represents a biologically informative, non-invasive method for exposure-aware risk assessment in oral health. Although current clinical translation is limited by methodological variability, small cohort sizes, and the lack of standardized reference ranges, integration with digital biosensing platforms and explainable AI frameworks might facilitate scalable, precision-oriented salivary diagnostics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Innovation in Salivary Diagnostics for Oral and Systemic Health)
19 pages, 2113 KB  
Review
From Saliva to Diagnosis: A Scoping Review of Conventional and Biosensor-Based Methods for Salivary Biomarkers in Chronic Kidney Disease
by Elena Valentina Vacarel, Eliza Denisa Barbulescu (Sgiea) and Corina Marilena Cristache
Diagnostics 2025, 15(17), 2226; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15172226 - 2 Sep 2025
Viewed by 2689
Abstract
Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive global health burden often diagnosed in late stages due to reliance on invasive and centralized blood and urine tests. Saliva, as a non-invasive diagnostic fluid, has emerged as a promising alternative for assessing renal function. [...] Read more.
Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive global health burden often diagnosed in late stages due to reliance on invasive and centralized blood and urine tests. Saliva, as a non-invasive diagnostic fluid, has emerged as a promising alternative for assessing renal function. This scoping review aims to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of salivary biomarkers compared to traditional methods, and to explore the potential of emerging biosensing technologies for CKD detection and monitoring. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library up to 1 July 2025, following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Studies involving adult CKD patients and healthy controls that assessed the diagnostic performance of salivary biomarkers against validated reference standards (e.g., serum creatinine, eGFR) were included. A total of 29 eligible studies were selected after applying predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: Salivary creatinine and urea were the most frequently assessed biomarkers and demonstrated strong correlations with serum levels (AUCs up to 1.00; sensitivity and specificity frequently >85%). Several studies reported high diagnostic potential for novel salivary markers such as Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), cystatin C, and amino acids. Technological innovations, including electrochemical biosensors and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, showed promise for enhancing sensitivity and enabling point-of-care testing. However, heterogeneity in sampling protocols and limited data for early-stage CKD were notable limitations. Conclusions: Salivary diagnostics, supported by biosensor technologies, offer a feasible and non-invasive alternative for CKD screening and monitoring. Standardization, broader clinical validation, and integration into dental workflows are key to clinical implementation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Innovation in Salivary Diagnostics for Oral and Systemic Health)
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