Bio-analysis of Saliva Using Paper Devices and Colorimetric Assays

Abstract

AbstractIn light of the evolving nature of various diseases, time becomes a crucial factor in diagnosis and identifying the underlying causes. A point-of-care device provides a rapid diagnosis of a disease without using complex and advanced instruments, which are costly and difficult to transport. A paper-based device is a relatively frugal solution wherein the paper is used as a substratum in which the reactions are carried out. These methods are non-invasive, and the sample collection is relatively easy. Saliva is one such body fluid in which various biomarkers are present for numerous diseases. Bioanalysis of saliva has attracted more attention recently due to its non-invasiveness and robustness. Exploiting the discovery of clinical biomarkers from salivary analysis has the potential to revolutionize the healthcare sector by providing crucial information to monitor the health status of individuals and disease progression which enables personalized treatment. This review provides the limitation of the traditional methods in clinical applications and highlights the significance of saliva as a non-invasive biological fluid that is a source of multiple biomarkers associated with various diseases. It also provides insights into the different paper-based colorimetric microfluidic devices developed against salivary biomarkers in the past decade. The major challenges in the point-of-care application and the future prospects have been discussed as well. Further, we also emphasize the importance of this approach in dental disease diagnosis which is least explored and holds potential applications.