According to several studies, testing salvia could help diagnose a number of illnesses. (Photo courtesy of Steve 

MALMÖ, Sweden: Cancer and other serious illnesses leave traces of their presence in patients’ saliva, researchers at Malmö University’s Faculty of Odontology have found. Through these findings, it could be possible to detect serious illnesses in their early stages and therefore enhance a patient’s chances of recovery.

“An early diagnosis holds significant implications for both patients and health care,” said Björn Klinge, a professor of periodontology at the Faculty of Odontology.

Previous studies have shown that illnesses in the mouth and throat can be diagnosed with a saliva sample. Klinge and his research group have now shown that saliva contains traces of other illnesses with an inflammatory component, for example the growth of certain tumours, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. 

“We have successfully linked the secretion of substances in patient saliva to these illnesses,” said Klinge. This discovery is likely to hold great significance for medical examinations in the future. “Instead of having to visit the doctor, patients would be able to swab the inside of their mouth with a cotton bud and send it away for analysis. If the test shows signs of illness, the patient would be called in to a doctor.”

This would save time and money, both for health-care professionals and patients. Additionally, the simplicity of this method would allow a greater number of individuals to conduct a preliminary medical examination. “We would be able to reach parts of the population that we haven’t reached before, and that would increase our chances of detecting illnesses at an early stage,” Klinge added.

The study was conducted among a test group of 500 individuals in Skåne County, the southernmost county of Sweden. The study participants gave saliva samples and answered a questionnaire about their health. The analysis of the saliva samples was then compared with the participants’ questionnaire responses.

“Today, we can use a saliva sample to determine whether a patient is suffering from an inflammatory disease, but we can’t determine whether the disease is within the stomach or joints,” explained Klinge.

For the researchers, the next step is to increase the accuracy of the saliva sample. A study aimed at cardiovascular disease is already underway.

“We hope to find components in the saliva that will indicate when patients are in the process of developing cardiovascular disease,” said Klinge. He believes that saliva tests could form part of standard medical examinations within five to ten years.