Medical science has progressed in leaps and bounds over the years and has seen a lot of advancements. A few tests that used to take a lot of time with sophisticated equipment are now just a matter of seconds. Also, check out the best detox drink cleanse.
The precision in results has also been quite accurate if we are facilitated with the best testing equipment. The mouth swab drug test can check for different substances either individually or as a combo with the sample of saliva taken from the mouth.
It can detect alcohol, cannabis, and many other drugs for which the testing kit is designed. The mouth swab drug tests are now preferred over urine drug tests, which were earlier popular for detecting the same. It has various benefits and the topmost is its easy administration and many accurate results.
The samples are hard to temper and for these and many other reasons, it has become the most preferred way to test for drugs. The success of the testing depends on the quality of the mouth swab drug test kit. It is also the capability of that kit that defines the type of tests it can conduct and how far back it can detect things.
What is the mouth swab drug testing kit?
A mouth swab drug test equipment takes human’s saliva to detect any consumption of drugs, including cocaine, cannabis, and alcohol. The swab with the sample is then placed on the associated testing device was color coding gives the results.
This is a common practice adopted by many employers to check their employees for the consumption of any illegal drugs. It is also used by insurance companies, law enforcement agencies, and the sports world for the same purpose.
There are many other similar products available but the legit mouth swab drug test kits are those which are part of the Oral Fluid Mandatory Guidelines. These guidelines are released by the Substance Abuse & mental health Services Administration.
The federal employers must follow all the given guidelines in this regard. On top of that, the majority of private employers also follow the same given guidelines.
How does the mouth swab drug testing work?
We should first understand the dynamics of saliva here and how the specimen required is produced and becomes valid in case of testing. The saliva or the oral fluid comes from the three main glands, which are submaxillary, parotid, sublingual, and also by some other very small glands as well.
The saliva is known for having quite low content of protein which is just about 0.3%. It has got the potential to vary in its flow rate going from 0 to multiple mL in a minute. It all depends on the impact coming from multiple factors including hunger and emotional state even.There is also a thing known as dry mouth syndrome, which is quite common and has got the potential to get triggered through anxiety or insufficient hydration levels of an individual. The specimen collection times for the dry mouths are much longer.
They may take several minutes to collect a specimen of just 1 mL. This is where the medical experts look to go for an alternate specimen for the drug test, which could be the invasive blood sample procedure.
The mouth swab technique is a screening test to detect drug consumption.
It is also alternately known as oral fluids or saliva drug test.
This type of test is an alternative to the old urine test, where the latter is lesser preferred due to its lesser accuracy and chance of sample getting tempered. The mouth swab is the least invasive method known for the detection of drugs.
It doesn’t require any needle or to pee in a cup for giving a sample. The method involves the following two very basic steps:
- A collection stick or a swab is used that has a sponge at one of its ends. It is required to be inserted inside the mouth for taking the saliva. Considerable time should be given here while moving the sponge all around the cheeks, gums, and tongue inside. You must only take it out when the sponge is thoroughly wet.
- The sample taken in the above step is then analyzed using the testing equipment for detecting the traces of drug substances. This could be done in a lab or on-site. The results are obtained using a color-coding technique that indicates if the drug test for a specific substance is positive negative or invalid. In case of invalid results, the test needs to be taken again.
The method or testing approach discussed above doesn’t require any such preparation to be done. The basic requirement is not to eat, drink, or smoke at least 20 minutes before the test. Results are then obtained within 10 minutes from the time the sample is taken.
Application of Mouth Swab Drug Test
The mouth swab drug test has got quite a wide range of potential applications. The main application of the approach is to provide a non-invasive sample that helps in the detection of various drug-affected drivers. The method is also commonly used at various workplaces for carrying out the test to check employees for having no illegal consumption of any banned substance. Usually, at workplaces, such testing is followed after a safety incident and to check employees for any usage of drugs. There is also usage seen of such testing for prisoners and those who are in other correctional institutions. Moving on. The monitoring of drug consumption by drug courts also considers this subject method of testing.
Finally, another usage of this testing is seen with the detainees who are under suspicion of a certain crime and they might also be under the influence of some drug.
Shortcoming or Limitations of the Mouth Swab Drug Testing Kits
The modern mouth swab testing equipment indeed has a lot of benefits with the accuracy of results, performance, and versatility with different drug types. But, it also has its fair share of limitations as well about which we should all be informed. First and foremost is that the range of testing is quite shorter as compared to the conventional methods. It means that the subject person on drugs could avoid positive results by just taking a break from the drug consumption and the results would then return negative. It is because of the act that metabolites stay in the saliva for a very limited time. This time varies from drug to drug and also from person to person having different metabolism system. Generally speaking, you can expect saliva to have traces of drugs from anywhere between 24 to 72 hours while considering the given factors. It has also been seen that people using certain medications for any reason may find their tests been interfered with the consumption of medication. This may lead to inconclusive or wrong results, which the mouth swab method couldn’t accommodate. As an example, consider the cough medication having codeine. This has very high chances of impacting the drug test of opiate using the mouth swab testing approach.If somebody is looking to dodge the test using mouth swab then it could also be done quite easily. One can ensure negative tests as an outcome by chewing gum, drinking plenty of water, consuming mints, or using certain items that are specifically meant to cheat the oral drug tests. However, this issue has been controlled quite well by ensuring that the subject person goes with an empty stomach for at least 10 minutes before the test sample has been taken.There are also some types of drugs which are not possible to be detected at all using saliva specimen. This limits the testing opportunity using a mouth swab technique. However, these kinds of tests are quite rare and people normally don’t look for anything beyond what the usual mouth swab kits have got to offer.
Mouth Swab Drug Test for the Most Common Drug
Mouth swab drug test can be used for common drug tests when Urine cannot be used for the sample. This method is among the best way to get quick samples and testing for better results.
Marijuana
The mouth swab drug test can search for Marijuana (THC) traces in the saliva where it remains after consumption. It stays there for a certain limited period before getting metabolized within the human body.
Make sure that the test conducted here could detect saliva only within 24 hours of consumption. This means that the testing is only valid for recent use only. The testing practice is quite common among police in the USA and other European countries to detect suspects for marijuana consumption.
Cocaine
Cocaine is a stimulant that is quite commonly snorted by drug addicts in its pure form. It is also sometimes injected in a very impure form, which is known as crack. It is a high health risk drug and consumed by addicts from different social classes.
Cocaine just like marijuana doesn’t stay too long in saliva to be detected through the mouth swab test. This is also the same as the other drug tests that are intended to detect specifically for cocaine consumption. The oral test using mouth swab can detect cocaine consumption only if it has been consumed in the last 48 to 72 hours maximum.
Heroin or Opiates
Heroin addicts in the USA are in very huge numbers and even beyond as well. According to some reliable statistics, the USA considers it an epidemic. Heroin along with other opiates including fentanyl and hydrocodone are quite common targets in the mouth swab drug testing.
It must be noted here that the opiated are all not equally made. It means that their presence in the saliva is different as well. Generally speaking, the specimen of saliva for heroin or opiates can be taken within 24 to 36 hours maximum. Some illegally manufactured opiates pills lead to much more complexity and ambiguity in the drug testing time.
Top Mouth Swab Drug Test Products
To assure you get a perfect kit for testing with the use of mouth swab, we have some with valid results:
5 Panel Mouth Swab Drug Test with Flat Cup
This is one of the finest products that promise to give you good value for your money for the variation and productivity it offers. It is a 5-panel instant drug test that employs mouth swabs for taking the sample. It comes with a flat cup option and this is immensely helpful with the results to be photocopied desirably.
The product is non-invasive and it also eliminates any kind of gender observation issue. You can simply conduct this test in your room and it doesn’t require you to use the washroom, unlike the urine testing kits for the same. It is very much capable of conducting a range of test subjects in one go. To get the best results, the subject person should not place anything in the mouth including drinks, food, tobacco products for 20 minutes.
The kit can detect drugs such as Amphetamine, cocaine, methamphetamine, opiate, and marijuana, etc. In case of positive results, a single colored line appears in the control C region and a no color band is to be seen in the T region. For negative results, you will see two colored lines on the test windows. Furthermore, the researchers and users have found this to solve the shy bladder issue quite well.
Pros:
- Instant drug detection as compared to conventional types. It takes 10 minutes for results.
- The testing kit is non-invasive.
- It can precisely detect popular drug tests including, AMP, COC, OPI, mAMP, and THC, etc.
- It can supervise multiple tests at once.
Cons:
- It does not facilitate the detection of other drugs like barbiturates, phencyclidine, etc.
Video Credit: Medical Disposables
10 Panel Mouth Swab Drug Test Kit with Flat Cup
Just as the name suggests, the mouth swab drug testing kit can detect 10 different drugs. The list of drugs capable of being detected includes AMP, BUP, BZO, COC, mAPM, MTD, OPI, OXY, PCP, and THC, etc. it is one of the most diverse and complete mouth swab drug testing kit that you can ever have. Testing is quite simple.
You need to put the swab in the mouth of the subject person and need to move it thoroughly around the cheeks, tongue, and gums so that the swab is completely soaked. Allow this at least 5 minutes and make sure that the person does not bite the sponge of the swab. Test operation is then performed by keeping the device straight on a flat surface. You will get accurate results within 10 minutes overall. The color bands with easy display would make the entire process quite simple. The manufacturer has offered this with a flat cup that helps with the precision of results. It is a non-invasive kit and the sample obtained through it will be impossible to tamper with. You can use it for carrying multiple tests at once and eliminating any gender-specific observation issues.
Pros:
- Precise results can be obtained within 10 minutes.
- No supplementary items including any bathroom facilities are required for conducting tests.
- Multiple tests could be administered at once.
- A flat cup is provided to have the photocopied results.
Cons:
- There is a hit or miss affair at times with negative tests.
FAQ’s on 5 Panel Drug Testing
What are the main drugs to be detected using a mouth swab drug test kit?A mouth swab drug test kit can detect drugs such as cocaine, opioids, amphetamines, methamphetamine, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, cannabis, alcohol, and PCP, etc. How quickly can I expect a mouth swab rug testing kit to produce results?A good kit from taking the sample to producing results can take about 10 minutes.Do all drugs takes some time to be detected through the mouth swab drug testing kit? No, detection time differs from drug to drug. It also depends on the time for which the person has been using a certain drug. Moreover, the sensitivity of the testing kit is also a factor that impacts time for the subject results.
How much the results of the mouth swab drug testing kit are accurate?As per the experts, results obtained through the best mouth swab drug testing kits are 98% accurate.
Things to Consider when buying a mouth swab drug test for use
Following are some of the important aspects you must not ignore when picking up a valid and accurate mouth swab drug test kit:
Range of Mouth Swab Testing Kit
The range here refers to the type of drugs that a mouth swab drug testing kit could detect. Different products available have different capacities where all don’t offer support to detect all types of drugs. Therefore, it is critical to select a testing kit that suits your present needs and also those of the future. As a general rule, you must look to have a device that could test for the popular drugs including THC, PMP, AMP, BUP, OXY, OPI, COC, BZO, MTD, and mAMP, etc.
Quality of Results
The quality of results for drug tests is something that no one could ever compromise on. Only the precision of results and their accuracy is what matters the most if considering the mouth swab sample testing method for detection. The best mouth swab drug testing kits could offer 98percent accuracy with the results.One should not settle down for anything less than that. The repute of the manufacturer, experts’ opinion, and online reviews could be a good way to understand the accuracy of the results for a particular kit. You must also note here that the quality of results through the testing kit may also depend on the following critical factors:
- The type of test to be conducted
- The type and concentration of the drug
- The quality and performance of the testing device
- The expertise of the attendant conducting the test
- The testing time falling within the detecting window for a particular drug
Time is taken for producing the results
The mouth swab drug testing kits were produced not only for accurate results without tempering but also to have resulted in a quick time. Testing results time differs because the test is performed in a lab or at home. The lab results are given usually in 24 hours. The on-site devices or the home testing kits can produce results within 10 minutes or so. The time given includes the time taken from taking the sample to producing results.
Ease of Reading Results
When you are testing for any drug using such a device then positive or negative results are what you are looking for. The mouth swab drug testing kit uses a color-coding technique to differentiate between positive and negative results. You need to have a kit that is good and easy with the reading of the obtained results. In the majority of the testing kits, positive results are shown using a single-colored line that appears in the control region. This is coupled with a No color band which appears in the test region. A positive result shows that the concentration of the drug has exceeded the given cut-off level. For negative results, the testing kits display two colored lines over the test window. One of the lines appears in the control region while the other appears in the test region. The third category of results is invalid where the display panel of the kit shows no colored band at all in the control region. In this case, re-testing is required. Your testing kit should accommodate all these three types with user-friendly features.
Conclusion
The mouth swab drug tests are intended in forensic, insurance companies, and law enforcement agencies. It also has its application in the sports field to keep a check on sportsmen against the consumption of any illegal substance or the usage of performance enhancement drugs. The testing can be done at home or other private facilities such as offices.
The testing kit uses a swab with a sponge that takes a sample of saliva from the mouth. It is then put over the testing device where the color-coding pattern gives results. For the testing kit, its range of drug tests, quality, and accuracy, ease of reading results, and the time was taken are important considerations to make when buying such a product.
Finally, another critical factor is to have a package with multiple swabs so that you have a good deal for your money over a while.
