Evaluating Preventive Health Strategies: Salivary Biomarkers as Non-Invasive Indicators of Caries Risk in School Children

Dental caries, a prevalent oral health condition affecting 514 million children aged <6 years, globally, was a significant public health concern. Salivary biomarkers offer a non-invasive approach to assessing caries risk. However, research on the specific role of salivary components in caries progression and prevention was limited. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the potential of salivary biomarkers as a valuable tool for predicting caries risk in school children. Objective: To evaluate the role of Salivary Biomarkers in risk assessment of caries in school children. Methods: A systematic review of literature published between January 2009 and February 2024 focused on studies investigating the association between salivary biomarkers and caries risk in school-aged children. PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, Springer, and Science Direct were searched, and the PRISMA guidelines were followed. 500 full-text papers were screened for eligibility, and 43 studies meeting the inclusion criteria were evaluated, relevant information was extracted, and a systematic review was conducted with 43 included studies. Results: Salivary biomarkers, including proteomics, microbiota, sugar metabolization, IgA levels, and salivary metabolic profiles, were significantly correlated with the risk of developing caries. Salivary samples demonstrated superior sensitivity, specificity, cost-effectiveness, and patient acceptance compared to blood samples for predicting caries risk. Conclusions: The findings suggested that salivary biomarkers hold promise as valuable non-invasive tools for stratifying caries risk in school children. Further research was needed to validate these biomarkers and integrate them into routine dental care to improve preventive strategies.