Developing Aptasensors for Periodontitis associated Biomarkers Detection in Saliva: A Systematic review

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Aptasensors in detecting salivary biomarkers linked to periodontitis.The literature search for this systematic review was conducted using the keywords "Aptasensors/Biosensors," "oral biomarkers," "oral diseases," "saliva," and "Aptamers" in the 'PubMed' and 'Google Scholar' databases for articles published between 2015 and 2025. The initial search yielded 249 publications relevant to the selected 10-year period of the study. After a thorough systematic review and application of the inclusion criteria, 13 studies were included.This reviewhas demonstrated that Aptasensors had achieved exceptional sensitivity for periodontitis associated biomarkers, analyzing ODAM at 1.63 nM, HBD-2 at 6.8 nM, and cortisol in the low nanomolar range. Aptamerspecific for Tannerella forsythiahad also showngreat specificity with minimal cross-reactivity. These innovative approaches had been successfully applied for periodontitis diagnosis, with aversatile multi-platform technique for ODAM (Lateral Flow, SPR, GO-FRET), a wearable smartwatch for cortisol analysis, and flow cytometry for periodontitis associated microbes’ identification. The integration of Aptamers into Biosensors had enabled detection of periodontal disease and its associated stress conditions, in saliva and gingival crevicular fluid respectively, facilitating real-time analysisand early, chair-side diagnosis. Aptasensors are highly sensitive and specific, offering real-time analysis of underlying conditions by examining targeted biomarkers in saliva.