What can be detected in a saliva test?

Researchers have studied saliva in an effort to detect tooth decay risk, periodontitis (gum disease), oral cancer, salivary gland diseases, and viral infections such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV).

The ease of collecting saliva is proving useful for determining hormone levels, including estrogen (estradiol), progesterone, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and cortisol. This is particularly important in the case of estradiol, as it can be an indicator of premature birth and low birthweight babies.