Saliva diagnostics have become increasingly popular due to their non-invasive nature and patient-friendly
collection process. Various collection methods are available, yet these are not always well standardized for
either quantitative or qualitative analysis. In line, the objective of this study was to evaluate if measured levels of
various biomarkers in the saliva of healthy individuals were affected by three distinct saliva collection methods:
1) unstimulated saliva, 2) chew stimulated saliva, and 3) oral rinse.
Saliva samples from 30 healthy individuals were obtained by the three collection methods. Then, the levels of
various salivary biomarkers such as proteins and ions were determined. It was found that levels of various
biomarkers obtained from unstimulated saliva were comparable to those in chew stimulated saliva. The levels of
potassium, sodium, and amylase activity differed significantly among the three collection methods. Levels of all
biomarkers measured using the oral rinse method significantly differed from those obtained from unstimulated
and chew-stimulated saliva.
In conclusion, both unstimulated and chew-stimulated saliva provided comparable levels for a diverse group of
biomarkers. However, the results obtained from the oral rinse method significantly differed from those of
unstimulated and chew-stimulated saliva, due to the diluted nature of the saliva extract.
