Why Test Saliva?
Saliva has many properties scientists find useful to help them make diagnoses about you, their patient. Saliva contains various substances, like hormones (cortisol), genetic material (RNA), and other natural metabolites (saliva nitrite). Through saliva testing, scientists can assess these substances to screen for and help diagnose and/or determine numerous health factors about your body, including disease like HIV and cancer.
Saliva testing is an extremely simple tool that is safe, non-invasive, and quick to administer. Many doctors and scientists prefer this method of data collection over blood testing for the above reasons, including avoiding puncturing a vein.
History of Saliva Testing
Utilizing saliva testing to determine various factors for an individual has been claimed to be prevalent throughout history, perhaps for centuries, before modern medicine. Supposedly, centuries ago simple tests such as the inability to swallow rice due to lack of saliva product from anxiety was an indication of guilt in China. Now, we know that studies have in fact shown that guilt, causing nervousness, does in fact inhibit the amount of saliva production, producing dry mouth.
The 20th century marked the beginning of modern saliva testing, whereby saliva could be tested for gout and rheumatism. Doctors would use what is known as a cytochemical procedure, staining the saliva and waiting for a change in colour to help them determine certain health factors.
The past three decades have considerably advanced the usefulness of saliva testing through standardized collection and storage techniques and diagnostic procedures. Saliva testing is now used for a variety of purposes, including diagnosis, clinical monitoring, and real-time clinical decision-making/patient care.
More recently, from 2000 the term “salivaomics” emerged to describe the discovery and presence of a wide variety of important biological components present in saliva that give great indications for what is happening – or could happen – in the human body. Salivaomics kicked off the use of saliva testing for personalized medicine, as the detail present in your saliva is much greater than previously thought.
Today, saliva can be used for genotyping with call rates and reproducibility comparable to blood testing.
Saliva Testing at Pregenic
Pregenic is proudly part of “salivaomics” research and family. We conduct DNA testing through the collection of your saliva, with the express goal to help you make sense of your traits (along with many other factors) to help you be healthier, happier, and stronger. We provide you with individualized health insights to help you optimize your lifestyle in a strategic and personalised manner.
We like to say, “Your saliva is enough”, we don’t need your tears, blood, or anything else! At Pregenic, receiving your personalized health outcomes includes 1) ordering a kit, 2) sending us your saliva, and 3) receiving your results just 2-4 weeks later. We have made the entire process, from start to finish pain-free easy in order for you to receive your health insights as soon as possible.
If you would like to learn more about the process, click here.