Saliva collection devices and diagnostic platforms

Abstract

Over the last few years, there has been a tremendous growth in less invasive diagnostic testing as a replacement for painful and expensive blood draws. The role of saliva in this growth trend has been enormous, and this has been driven in part by a growing awareness of the broad utility of saliva as a diagnostic medium and reinforced by a rapidly growing number of publications supporting new and varied applications for saliva. The aim of this chapter is to highlight some of the tools now available that are responsible for this growth trend and provide a glimpse into the future for salivary diagnostics in the research and clinical environments.