Advantages and disadvantages of saliva sampling
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Non-invasive approach for disease diagnosis and monitoring of general health. | Not always reliable for measurement of certain markers. |
| Painless (no patient discomfort and anxiety for sampling). | Contents of saliva can be influenced by the method of collection, degree of stimulation of salivary flow, interindividual variation and oral hygiene status. |
| Easy collection and applicable in remote areas. | Serum markers can reach whole saliva in an unpredictable way. |
| Relatively cheap technology. | Medications may affect salivary gland function and consequently the quantity and composition of saliva. |
| Cost-effective applicability for screening large populations. | Possibility for degradation of salivary proteins due to presence of proteolytic enzymes. |
| Suitable for children, anxious/disabled/elderly patients. | |
| Possible multisampling. | |
| Safer collection for health professionals than other biological samples such as nasopharyngeal swabs and blood. | |
| Cheap to store and ship. | |
| Easy to handle. | |
| No need for expensive equipment/instruments (swabs, suction tubes or special collection devices) for collection. Only needs a sterile container. |