Drug testing has become mandatory in almost all organizations. Employees who are hired need to undergo drug testing in various ways. Urine tests, saliva tests, hair follicle testing and blood tests are some of the most common investigations that are done. Along with screening new employees, random drug tests are also carried out on employees in an organization to gauge if they are working in the right physical and mental condition.
Testing positive for a drug test might prove to be detrimental to the job. People who consume alcohol, drugs or smoke on regular basis should be slightly careful as even after taking precautions, you might test positive for the test. Saliva drug test detection time varies from one drug to another.
What is Saliva Drug Test?
It is quite evident from the name of the test that saliva drug test helps in detection of drug consumption from the saliva of an individual. Also known as the Mouth Swab Drug Test, saliva is collected from the inside of the mouth of the candidate appearing for the test. Saliva is tested for drug usage. If drugs are taken in the past few days, the components of the same remain in the saliva for quite a few days.
In fact, some drugs have a quality of staying in the saliva for a long period of time. Some of the drugs for which the saliva test is done include cocaine, alcohol, marijuana, methamphetamines, and amphetamines. When compared to other kinds of drug tests, the saliva test is cheaper and convenient. They are easy to administer and least invasive in nature. Employers arrange for such tests on-site so that employees do not have to go to another location for the testing. The results for saliva drug test come much faster when compared to urine tests or blood tests.
The Procedure of Saliva Drug Test
In saliva drug test, the test is conducted by collecting a small amount of saliva from the mouth of the candidate. If the test is done for some legal purpose, it takes place at a legal office. If it is for a job, the test takes place on site in the office premises. The test is done with the help of a swab, which resembles a small plastic stick with kind of wadding at the end. It just takes few seconds to collect the saliva from the mouth. The candidate is asked to open the mouth and the swab is swiped in a small area in the mouth. The swab is then placed in a small container and sent for testing. The process is this quick and easy.
What is Obtained Through the Saliva Test?
Basically, saliva test is done for detecting the presence of quite a few numbers of drugs in an individual. Some of the most common drugs that are tested include cocaine, THC (marijuana), ecstasy, opiates, PCP, amphetamines, and methamphetamines. Lots of positive reviews have been obtained regarding saliva drug test accuracy. Testers and medical professionals have opined that the accuracy of saliva tests is much better and higher when compared to urine drug tests. This is because in the saliva test it is possible to reveal whether you have been under drug abuse up to 72 hours previously. However, the results come from that window only.
For instance, if a person smoked marijuana regularly, but stopped it 3-4 days before the saliva drug test, he will come negative for the test. The saliva test cannot detect the prolonged use of a drug or remaining trace amounts, which come positive in a urine test.
Saliva Drug Test Window of Detection
The whole medical community claims that accuracy of mouth swab tests or saliva tests are quite high. Moreover, these tests take considerably lesser time to be conducted. It is also true that passing this drug test is easier than passing a urine drug test.
In fact, with some preparations, it is quite easy to pass this test. Try to stop taking drugs minimum 3-4 days before the test. Use a strong toothpaste for brushing your teeth 2-3 times a day. Use mouthwash regularly so that no trace elements of the drug are there in the saliva. The mouth should be thoroughly cleaned. In many cases, it has been seen that the person has smoked in the morning of the test, but still passed the same because of healthy oral habits and oral hygiene. But remaining cautious for few days is the best way of being safe for the test.
Medical science is improving with each passing day and various kinds of technologies are used for detecting and diagnosing ailments. In the saliva drug test, ELISA technology is used for analyzing the oral fluid samples. This is the initial and standard testing method. Full form of ELISA is ‘Enzyme-Linked Immunoassay Technology’. This technology is one of the best-proven methods for saliva drug screening.
When compared to urine tests, ELISA technology for saliva drug tests has shown to be 60% more sensitive to drugs like opiates, cocaine, and methamphetamines. The detection method in this test is quite strong and the drug chemicals are picked up quite easily through the same. Even if there are minute traces, they can be captured in the saliva test.
Mentioned Below are the Detection Times for the Various Drugs which are Tested in the Saliva Test:
- Saliva drug test detection times for alcohol – around 6-12 hours
- Opiates – 2-3 days
- Marijuana and Hash – up to 24 hours
- PCP – 3 days
- Cocaine – 2-3 days
- Methamphetamines, amphetamines, ecstasy – 2-4 days
Methamphetamines, ecstasy, and amphetamines have longest detection time in saliva drug test. But the test is able to detect even minor traces (if present). There are different kinds of mouth solutions available in the market, which help in passing saliva drug test successfully. It is believed that washing the mouth thoroughly with the solution helps in removing the finest traces of drugs from the saliva and one can pass the saliva drug test successfully. Since the saliva drug test detection time varies from one drug to another, the results might vary.
Medically Reviewed By
Maanasi specializes in health topics including diet and nutrition. A mother of an untiring seven year old, she enjoys nurturing her love affair with English. She is often found nestled with a book, plopped against a dozen pillows, smiling away at the brink of finishing yet another book of the many dozens, that adorn the shelves of her Mini Library!
