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Oral Saliva Drug Testing: Pros and Cons

Oral Saliva Drug Testing: Pros and Cons

• Uritox

Urine drug test is a conventional drug testing approach, but they are prone to manipulation as it cannot be monitored. Urine adulteration, dilution, and substitution are common in the collection of specimens and thus distort the interpretation of results.

While oral saliva drug test is an effective alternative to "Urinalysis", it is obvious that they have their pros and cons. This blog will discuss about the pros and cons of oral saliva drug test, How do they work, etc. 

Table Of Contents:

What is a Mouth Swab Drug Test?

Oral drug testing is a non-invasive method of drug testing that works by testing an individual's saliva. The test is designed to detect recent drug use, usually within the past 24 to 48 hours, depending on the specific drugs being tested.

It is often used in various settings such as workplaces, law enforcement, and probation programs as a quick and convenient method for drug screening.

During the saliva drug test, a swab or a cotton-tipped applicator is placed in the buccal cavity region of the individual's mouth for a 1 to 3 minutes to allow it to absorb saliva. The swab is then placed into a container and sent to the lab for analysis.

Oral Drug Test - Advantages

According to the Current Consulting Group, 13% of employers in the United States have shifted from the conventional urine drug testing to Oral Drug Testing to establish their workplace safety. Here are the reasons why!

  1. Non-invasive and Easy to Administer: The process of collecting a saliva sample is non-invasive, and the test can be easily administered without the need for specialized medical personnel.

  2. Rapid Results: Mouth swab drug tests provide relatively quick results, typically within a short time frame, allowing for prompt decision-making in workplaces, law enforcement, and probation cases.

  3. Difficult to Adulterate: Compared to urine tests, saliva tests are less susceptible to adulteration or substitution since the collection is directly observed.

  4. Recent Drug Use Detection: Mouth swab tests are effective at detecting recent drug use, usually within the past 24 to 48 hours, providing a snapshot of an individual's recent drug activity.

  5. Minimal Privacy Invasion: The collection process is less intrusive compared to urine or blood tests, as it does not require a private restroom or a blood draw, making it more comfortable for individuals undergoing testing.

Oral Drug Test - Disadvantages

While oral drug tests may have attractive advantages, there are some disadvantages we should consider. Here are few of them.

  1. Limited Detection Window: Mouth swab tests have a relatively short detection window, typically capturing drug use within the past 24 to 48 hours. This makes them less effective for identifying substance use over an extended period.

  2. Variability in Sensitivity: Sensitivity can vary between different drug types, and some substances may not be as easily detected through saliva testing compared to other methods.

  3. External Contaminants: The possibility of external contamination, such as the use of certain mouthwashes or exposure to environmental factors, may impact the accuracy of test results.

  4. Reliability Issues with On-Site Tests: On-site mouth swab tests may have less accuracy compared to those conducted in a laboratory setting, raising concerns about the reliability of results.

  5. Not Comprehensive for All Substances: Mouth swab tests may not cover a wide range of substances, potentially missing the detection of certain drugs that could be identified through other testing methods.

Where to Order Your Oral Drug Test?

If you are an employer or employee looking to order a mouth swab drug testing kit for instant results within 5 minutes, you can order your saliva drug testing kits with Drug Test Panels. 

For confirmatory saliva drug testing and for lab based saliva drug testing, you can book your drug test for your employees in bulk or for individuals with US Health Testing. You can book your oral saliva drug test  with major illicit drugs including THC or without THC, 6 panel (5 panel + Oxymorphone), and 10 panel (9 panel with Oxymorphone.)

Bottomline

Oral saliva drug test offers an easy and cost-effective method of screening for drugs of abuse. Unlike other drug testing methods, it does not require a trained professional to administer the tests.

However, improper handling of the specimen can lead to contamination. Hence, one should consider looking for a provider with in-house Medical Review Officers to validate and verify drug test results.

An oral drug test is difficult to tamper with and particularly effective in detecting recent drug use. Because of a narrow detection window, one must perform an oral drug test quickly and immediately.

Oral drug testing provides a quick and non-invasive alternative to blood and urine tests, especially when adulteration is suspected. However, oral drug testing cannot be seen as a substitute for blood or urine drug testing.

Today, many drug-free workplace programs contain a combination of different specimen or multiple specimen drug testing to streamline the process of drug screening.

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