Saliva as a new diagnostic fluid for oral and systemic diseases

Oxidative stress is involved in the pathogenesis of many systemic diseases (cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome and cancer) and oral disorders (periodontal disease, oral lichen planus and oral cancer). The use of saliva as a diagnostic fluid has past, present and especially future. Saliva is considered the first line of defence against oxidative stress, being the first biological fluid that comes into contact with the external environment. The present book focuses on the assessment of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of two oral pathologies, periodontal disease and oral lichen planus, reflecting the potential of saliva as a diagnosis and monitoring fluid, as it provides an ideal environment in which to study the biochemical mechanisms of ROS-mediated tissue damage and of antioxidant defence in response to different diseases. Through their experience in the field, the authors provide insights about this remarkable fluid that represents one of the top priority biomedical research topics of the 21st century.