Evaluation of salivary biomarkers predicting oral disease activity in apparently healthy individuals.

Early detection of oral diseases is challenging because they often develop asymptomatically and remain undiagnosed until irreversible tissue damage occurs. Therefore, it is of interest to evaluate the predictive validity of salivary biomarkers (MMP-8, IL-1β and cortisol) for oral disease activity in 120 systemically and periodontally healthy individuals over six months. Baseline unstimulated saliva samples were analyzed using ELISA, followed by comprehensive clinical examinations at baseline and follow-up. Individuals who developed gingivitis or early periodontitis showed significantly higher baseline levels of MMP-8 and IL-1β (p<0.001), with ROC analysis demonstrating high predictive accuracy for MMP-8 (sensitivity 88%, specificity 82%). Salivary biomarkers may serve as reliable early predictors of oral disease activity, supporting a shift toward preventive and precision-based dental care.