First and foremost, anyone who is not using drugs will pass the mouth swab drug test.
However, many drug users are desperate to pass a company drug test. They will resort to any means to produce a false positive result. According to the word on the street (or the internet), there are ways to “pass” the test even though you have recently used drugs.
Companies not regulated by the DOT can use their drug test of choice. Many employers use the urine drug test, but some use the mouth swab test. also known as the oral fluid or saliva drug test.
They are accurate, affordable, and detect drug use for up to 24 hours prior to the test.
Employer drug testing policies
The main reason that employers drug test is to discourage drug use in the workplace. Employees inhibited by drug use are prone to accidents, have lower productivity, and are absent more frequently than non-drug users.
As stated above, companies not regulated to use the urine drug test may choose the saliva drug test for employee drug testing. Some companies only require that an applicant pass a pre-employment drug test upon hiring in. In addition, others have a number of situations noted in their policies that would require a drug test.
- Random — A random drug test is conducted by entering all employees names into a pool. At specified times throughout the year, a predetermined number of names are drawn from the employee pool. Those whose names are drawn report immediately for drug testing.
- Reasonable suspicion — This drug test differs from the random drug test because it focuses on a particular employee who is exhibiting observable signs of impairment.
- Probation — An employee who tested positive for drugs, but completes the required rehabilitation program, may be presented with the opportunity to return to work. In this case, the employer subjects the employee to a preset number of drug tests throughout the probationary period.
- Post-accident — An accident in the workplace is serious business. Post-accident drug tests help employers determine who and what are responsible for causing the accident.
Falsifying results
We’ve already determined that you can’t falsify the results of an oral fluid test. The reason is that your body is constantly producing saliva. Saliva is one of the places that drug metabolites show up as they are being excreted from the body.
Another fact to consider is that at no time is the employee out of sight of the technician administering the test. This makes it impossible to switch one sample with another. The test swab remains in the employee’s mouth for a few minutes. Then, the technician places it directly into the individual transport bag.
Myths proved false
Drug users faced with a company drug test try many different ways to avoid detection. An internet search looking for ways to beat this test yield a number of results. Complete with videos from people that were supposedly successful.
Apparently, Youtube and Vemo don’t consider such videos to be unethical because they abound online.
Refrain from using
A number of “how to beat the oral fluids test” type of posts urge users to refrain from drug use. This, of course, makes the most sense when someone hopes to falsify results. The window of detection is relatively short when employers use a saliva drug test. Drug users are urged to look up the amount of time their drug of choice is detectable and stop using long enough to pass.
Brush your mouth
Some “tutorials” proclaim that you must use a specific toothpaste, such as Crest Fresh and White or a brand of toothpaste that contains baking soda and peroxide. The instructions are to brush your teeth, tongue, and inside of your cheeks profusely. Repeat the process for added benefit.
Rinse and spit
Rinsing your mouth with both hydrogen peroxide and mouthwash removes drug metabolites from your mouth for a short period of time.
Mints
Peppermint is a popular fix according to the “pass the test” accolades. It reportedly blocks the mouth swab drug test from detecting drug metabolites. Altoids are very strong and are often proclaimed to get the job done best.
Gum
There is a company that has created a gum with little packets of hydrogen peroxide inside of it. Supposedly, if you pop a piece in your mouth prior to the test and swish the contents of the popped packet, you are sure to pass the test.
Don’t smoke cigarettes
Apparently, smoking cigarettes prior to a mouth swab drug test can null and void any attempts you make to mask the results. The claim is that smoking opens up cells and taste buds in the mouth. This releases more saliva into your mouth which contains the drug metabolites.
Flush your system
Supposedly, drinking lots of water flushes your body’s system of drug metabolites. Also, chewing on as much ice as possible is another means of “flushing” the system. These methods dilute the saliva making it impossible to detect drugs.
Swishing bleach
Never put bleach into your mouth. Anyone that believes this is a viable method to falsify a drug test is taking a huge risk. They may not have to take a drug test at all because they will be on their way to the ER instead.
Good grief!
THC specific
In light of the fact that marijuana legalization is a hot topic, we found some weed specific information pertaining to the mouth swab drug test.
Did you realize that because the body stores THC in the fat cells that eating loads of fatty foods prior to a mouth swab test works? They say all the drug metabolites in your mouth attach to the food while you’re eating it.
It’s a good thing we weren’t eating when we discovered this myth. We laughed so hard, we might have choked!
Abstinence for life
The best way to pass a mouth swab drug test is to be free of drugs.
We suggest that be the case all day, every day. Drug use is not the carefree lifestyle that is often depicted in the movies or on television. It may seem that way at first, but it has a way of sucking you into addiction.
Addicts put their drug of choice before everything else. This includes their jobs, families, and personal safety.
Everyone deserves to be safe at work. Continuing to enforce a drug-free workplace with employee drug testing is a wise choice.
