Last updated : November 11, 2024
When a prospective employer, law enforcement agency or other entity wants to check an individual for drug use, they have a number of testing methods available.
One of these is the mouth swab drug test.
The presence of trace amounts of many different substances may be detected through a mouth swab, also called a saliva, drug test.
Among these substances are:
- Alcohol
- Amphetamines
- Barbiturates
- Benzodiazepines
- Cannabis
- Cocaine
- Ecstasy
- Methamphetamine
- Opiates
- PCP
A single sample of saliva may indicate the presence of up to half a dozen different substances. Of course, whether or not it detects these substances depends upon how long ago each was ingested. If it has been more than 12 hours since the individual being tested drank alcohol, the mouth swab drug test won’t indicate alcohol use. On the other hand, a person using opiates may show a positive indication for up to three days after consumption.
A mouth swab drug test may be favored over blood or urine tests for a number of reasons. Test kits are inexpensive, and several different varieties are available. The procedure for collecting a sample is quick and non-invasive. Usually, all that is required is placing a test strip inside the test subject’s mouth. Accordingly, there is not usually a need for privacy or an excess of complicated equipment. Test results are obtained quickly, often within about five minutes.
The test strip changes color to indicate which substances are detected in the individual’s saliva. Different colors show which substances are likely to have been consumed. Someone who has not used any of the substances being tested for should have a completely white test strip. This means the person currently does not have any of these substances in their system.
Occasionally, people have found ways to trick a mouth swab drug test. The most common means of doing so is smoking cigarettes, which has been shown to fool the test into not indicating the presence of substances. On the other hand, use of common over the counter remedies like ibuprofen has been known to indicate a false positive. Clearly, a mouth swab drug test is not foolproof.
While mouth swab drug testing may not be perfect, the ease and efficiency of using the test kit still makes it an attractive option to employers and law enforcement. It seems likely that this form of drug testing will be used for many years to come.
