Using oral fluids as a testing sample, saliva drug tests discover whether particular substances are present in a person's system. This quick and efficient drug testing approach is much less invasive than urine testing, and is also cost-effective.
You might be wondering which saliva drug test vs urine is better? Although the two are quite different, using a saliva drug test instead of a urine drug test has key advantages.
If you wish to evaluate saliva drug testing, you have to be obviously familiar with how it works.
How Does a Saliva Drug Test Work?
Sometimes saliva drug tests are also called oral fluid drug testing or mouth swabs. Under a saliva test, you swab the interior of the mouth—over the gums and inner cheek area—using a sponge or absorbent pad fastened to the end of a swab stick. The swab is placed in the mouth for five to ten minutes in order to collect a sufficient sample size..
With most at-home or workplace saliva tests, you place the saturated swab stick in the collection chamber and wait for the results to appear in about 5 minutes. If the results show 2 welldefined,visible lines, no drugs are detected.
If the top line is the only visible line, then drugs have been detected for that particular drug.. There's also a third possible outcome where the test results show only one line on the bottom. This means a test is invalid, and you will need to re-do the procedure with a new test kit and sample.
An oral fluids drug test can detect the following drugs:
- Alcohol
- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
- cocaine
- amphetamines
- barbiturates
- Benzodiazepines
- methamphetamine
- opioids
- phencyclidine (PCP)
What Exactly are Drug Panels?
Should you have come across a 12-panel saliva drug test or a 10-panel oral fluids drug test, you would be wondering what it all is about. The panels count the number of drugs a saliva test kit can detect.
One 5-panel saliva drug test kit may identify five distinct drug families. A 10-panel kit would find 10; a 12-panel kit would find 12 drugs and so on.
Choosing the right panel comes down to your specific needs. For instance, workplaces usually use the 5-panel to screen for:
- Cocaine (COC)
- Opiates (OPI)
- Methamphetamines (mAMP)
- Marijuana (THC)
- Amphetamines (AMP)
Safety-sensitive companies might use the 12-kit panel to cover more ground on drug families. If you want a house kit for personal use, the 5-panel saliva drug test kit makes more sense and is more fairly priced.
Though urine drug tests have been the standard since 1988, saliva drug testing is fast growing in popularity. What then specifically are the advantages of saliva testing vs urine testing? Let us dig deeper.
Saliva Drug Testing Allows for Privacy
When comparing drug test saliva vs urine, saliva testing offers a more convenient, comfortable, and private alternative to the logistical challenges of urine testing.
Usually, urine drug testing is not the most discreet kind of test available. The person doing the test as well as the donor find it awkward. The donor will also have access to a private bathroom so they may collect the needed sample for a urine test. Moreover, some urine drug testing scenarios could call for a gender-specific observer, which is not always feasible or sensible.
On the other hand, saliva drug testing is safe and quick, and there's no need to plan for complicated logistics, gender-specific observers, or dedicated rooms for collection. Saliva drug testing can be performed virtually anywhere. It's also comfortable for both the donor and observer or person collecting the sample.
Non Invasive and Easy to Perform: Urine vs Saliva Drug Test
Saliva drug testing's simplicity of collecting is another main advantage over urine test. First of all, the procedure is non-invasive, hence no pain or even the least of discomfort to obtain results. For the urinary drug test, the donor can, for example, have a shy bladder. This occurs when the donor struggles with urinating.
Ultimately, the test will have to be postponed—which is inconvenient. Given they have to go through the process again, the donor will also feel uncomfortable. Swabbing the inner cheek area and under the tongue is as simple as it gets with the oral fluids drug testing. Amouth swab saliva drug test takes less than fifteenminutes. Not eating or drinking anything ten minutes before a saliva drug test is also required preparation.
Which Has a Lesser Risk of Tampering With the Test: Urine vs Saliva Drug Test
When comparing saliva drug test vs urine test, it's important to note the differences in sample collection and security. Urine sample collection typically takes place in private, making sample manipulation easier. In contrast, a saliva drug test involves sample collection under direct observation, reducing the chances of tampering. Additionally, saliva tests are less sensitive to adulterants—substances used to alter the drug content in a sample—making it more challenging to cheat on a saliva drug test vs urine test. Furthermore, most drug detections in saliva tests cannot be affected by food or mouthwash, enhancing their reliability.
It is Effective and Accurate
Saliva testing can be just as accurate as urine drug testing. According to one study, the saliva drug test has a 97% accuracy rate. Having said that, the type of substance, detection window, and occasionally the type of food consumed will affect the accuracy of the saliva drug test.
For example, consuming citric acid sweets and producing saliva reduces the concentration of substances including codeine, cocaine, and methamphetamine.
Which is Ideal: Saliva Lab Test or Onsite Rapid Drug Testing?
Rapid drug testing refers to testing which happens on-site primarily with immediate results—for instance, using a saliva drug test kit to detect any drug substances. On the other hand, lab testing occurs when you send the saliva sample to the lab for testing. This method takes much more time, usually 2-3 days on average for lab testing results to come back.
Rapid saliva drug tests are limited to detecting a dozen drug families, but with lab testing, you can test for any drug. Therefore, lab testing is more expensive than rapid drug testing but offers more comprehensive results. When contemplating which to choose, first figure out if your state allows rapid drug testing. Some states do, while others don't. In the case of a non-negative (positive) result, the test administering personnel should send the sample to the lab for more in-depth analysis.
Saliva vs Urine Drug Test: What Is Best For You?
There's no right or wrong answer when it comes to choosing between saliva vs urine drug test. Both saliva and urine drug testing have their unique limitations and advantages, as you have seen. It all comes down to understanding your needs and what you hope to accomplish.
If you want a minimally invasive testing option, saliva drug testing may be better aligned. However, if you want longer detection windows, you may choose a urine drug test. That said, you want to choose a drug test kit that is convenient and accomodates your needs and your budget., Before selecting your test, ensure that you are also aware of the existing codes, laws, and regulations surrounding drug testing polices in your jurisdiction.
Whatever decision you make about urine vs saliva drug test, know that saliva testing is just as fast, accurate, and reliable as urine testing.