Mouth Swab Drug Test: What to Expect and Understand

With the rise of substance abuse in the world, employers, medical professionals, and law enforcement agencies are turning their attention toward quick and noninvasive testing. This testing is known as the mouth swab drug test. This test helps determine the use or abuse of drugs or any substance. However, have you ever wondered how a saliva test reveals your drug history? Let us explore the world of Mouth swab drug tests and have a look at how they are game changers in the drive to combat substance abuse and ensure workplace safety.

What is a Mouth Swab Drug Test?

A mouth swab drug test is one of the DNA testing services that help determine if a person has been using or abusing drugs. Unlike other genetic tests, it does not look into the history of genes but the history of drug use. Another name for this test is a saliva drug test or oral fluid drug test. This test involves the collection of a swab of mouth to collect the saliva to determine the presence of drug metabolites.

What is the Process of Mouth Swab Drug Test?

A mouth swab drug test involves a few steps that include the following:

Preparation

Starts with the preparation. The office or any other working authority issues the notification for drug testing.

The individual has to offer their consent for the test.

After that, the individual will remove any kind of food item from the mouth.

Sample Collection

The next step is the sample collection.

For the collection of saliva, a swab device is particularly used.

The swab is gently rubbed inside the cheek for 30 seconds to one minute.

After that, saliva is collected by inserting a swab into a bottle.

Testing of Sample

The saliva is tested to determine the presence of metabolites of drugs.

The results or presence of the substance and their exact percentage are displayed on a screen.

Interpretation of Results

If the result indicates positive, then the person has used drugs in the last 24 to 48 hours.

If the results are negative, then the person has not taken any kind of drug within the detection timeline.

However, if the result is inconclusive, then the person might or might not have used drugs. This calls for further testing to clear the confusion.

After that, the results are properly documented and presented to the employer.

Interpreting the Results of Mouth Swab Drug Test

Interpretation of the results of mouth swab drug tests is extremely crucial. Saliva drug test experts analyze and interpret the test results. The results show the exact percentage of metabolites. If the result is positive, then the person has taken the drug in the detection window, and if the result is negative, it marks the absence of drugs. However, in case of inconclusiveness, it might be negative or positive. You might have to go for another drug test.

What are the Factors that may have an impact on the Results of Mouth Swab Drug Tests?

Some of the factors that have a direct impact on the results of the drug include the following:

The detection window is one of the most important factors. Different sample techniques and drugs have different detection windows. The mouth swab test detects the medications within the last 24 to 48 hours.

The sensitivity of the test is another important factor. It means the ability of the test to detect the presence of the drug.

Certain food items also interact with the drugs. Therefore, eating or drinking food might play with the presence of drugs.

Conclusion

A mouth swab drug test is one of the DNA testing services that help determine if a person has been using or abusing drugs. Unlike other genetic tests, it does not look into the history of genes but the history of drug use. The mouth swab test detects the medications within the last 24 to 48 hours. However, the accuracy of testing also depends on the reliability of the lab. Therefore, you must go for a reliable lab such as Choice DNA Testing lab. You will not have to worry about the accuracy and reliability of tests with this trusted lab.