We hear it everywhere — from doctors, family members, and the media: reduce stress! Mounting evidence shows how chronic stress takes a toll on both physical and mental health. But before we can tackle it, we need to measure it and that’s easier said than done.
A new innovation from researchers at Tufts University might change that. Their experimental study published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces displays a special dental floss that detects cortisol levels in saliva, potentially making stress tracking as routine as your morning hygiene ritual.
“We didn’t want measurement to create an additional source of stress, so we thought, can we make a sensing device that becomes part of your day-to-day routine? Cortisol is a stress marker found in saliva, so flossing seemed like a natural fit to take a daily sample,” said Sameer Sonkusale, professor of electrical and computer engineering, in a news release.
Measuring Chronic Stress
Stress is a constant in modern life, but long-term exposure (chronic stress) can quietly wreak havoc. It’s been linked to everything from high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease to weakened immunity, anxiety, and depression. And while there's no shortage of advice in books and online on how to manage stress, figuring out how much stress you're actually experiencing can be tricky.
That's partly because stress is an elusive, subjective concept. Not all stress is bad, some is even beneficial in small doses, but too much can be harmful. Tools for measuring stress typically rely on self-reported questionnaires or clinical assessments, which are often expensive and imprecise. Measuring cortisol, the hormone our body releases during stress, offers a more objective approach. Since cortisol is present not only in blood and urine but also in saliva, it becomes a convenient biomarker for in-home tracking.
Read More: The Biology of Stress In Your Body
Smart Floss: How It Works
The Tufts team’s floss looks just like an ordinary pick: a flat plastic handle with floss stretched between two prongs. As you floss, saliva is drawn into the device via a narrow channel. The fluid travels through the handle to a small, attached tab, where it spreads across special electrodes that analyze cortisol levels — all within 11 to 12 minutes.
On the electrodes, a technology called electropolymerized molecularly imprinted polymers (eMIPs), which has been around for nearly 30 years, works like a mold or cast: a polymer forms around a cortisol molecule, which is later removed, leaving behind a precise imprint. When saliva passes through, any matching molecules bind to these “memory sites,” enabling accurate detection.
Even better, the technology is adaptable. The same approach could be used to create floss sensors for other salivary biomarkers, like estrogen (for fertility tracking), glucose (for diabetes), or even cancer indicators, according to the press statement. “The eMIP approach is a game changer,” said Sonkusale. “… If you discover a new marker for stress or any other disease or condition, you can just create a polymer cast in a very short period of time.”
Simple, Accessible Stress Tracking
While blood tests are still the gold standard, measuring cortisol from saliva is very accurate, certainly accurate enough for regular, at-home testing. “Once you are diagnosed and put on medication, if you need to track, say, a cardiovascular condition over time to see if your heart health is improving, then monitoring with the sensor can be easy and allows for timely interventions when needed,” said Sonkusale.
The sensor could also offer the potential to track multiple health indicators simultaneously, expanding it to monitor cardiovascular conditions and even cancer. With a simple, accessible tool like this, anyone could integrate stress tracking into their daily routine. Sonkusale and his team are now working to commercialize the device through a startup venture.
This article is not offering medical advice and should be used for informational purposes only.
Read More: Chronic Stress Doesn't Need To Be the New Normal
Article Sources
Our writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces: Saliva-Sensing Dental Floss: An Innovative Tool for Assessing Stress via On-Demand Salivary Cortisol Measurement with Molecularly Imprinted Polymer and Thread Microfluidics Integration
U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: Manage Stress
Having worked as a biomedical research assistant in labs across three countries, Jenny excels at translating complex scientific concepts – ranging from medical breakthroughs and pharmacological discoveries to the latest in nutrition – into engaging, accessible content. Her interests extend to topics such as human evolution, psychology, and quirky animal stories. When she’s not immersed in a popular science book, you’ll find her catching waves or cruising around Vancouver Island on her longboard.
