Saliva-Based Diagnostic Tool for Caries Risk Prediction

Period: 2014–2024

This work represents a translational research and knowledge-transfer activity, focused on the development of saliva-based frameworks for caries risk stratification.Building on earlier research, immune, metabolic and microbiome-related salivary markers were integrated into research models to explore their potential for supporting risk prediction approaches in preventive dentistry.

Outreach activities included evidence-based dissemination to healthcare professionals and dialogue with stakeholders, supporting responsible knowledge transfer from microbiome research to preventive oral health contexts. This work was conducted as a research-driven proof of concept and did not involve the provision of clinical diagnostic services.

The underlying scientific approach was originally described in the peer-reviewed publication:

Mira A, Artacho A, Camelo-Castillo A, Garcia-Esteban S, Simon-Soro A.Salivary Immune and Metabolic Marker Analysis (SIMMA): A Diagnostic Test to Predict Caries Risk.Diagnostics (Basel). 2017;7(3):38. doi:10.3390/diagnostics7030038.

Related intellectual property arising from this research resulted in an international patent application (PCT), reflecting the translational potential of the method while remaining within an academic research framework.