Why Are Oral Drug Tests So Popular?

Why Are Oral Drug Tests So Popular for Drug Testing?

An oral drug test is one of the best and most effective ways to detect the presence of drugs in a person’s system. As opposed to tests involving blood, urine and hair, saliva-based drug tests are widely used today because they are easy to administer, the results are easy to read, and they can be administered virtually anywhere. Also known as oral fluid, saliva contains lots of information about a person’s health, including whether or not he is abusing illicit drugs.

There are many advantages of testing saliva as compared to other bodily samples. First, the window for testing is wider than it is for other tests. Because drugs and drug metabolites can remain in the saliva for a few days after the drug has been taken, this is often the preferred method of testing. Another benefit to testing saliva over urine, for example, is that saliva samples are much harder for the donor to tamper with. Whereas it is relatively easy to swap in a clean urine sample for a possibly tainted one, there is little one can do to manipulate a saliva sample.

Another advantage to saliva sample testing is that the sample can be collected virtually anywhere. No special facilities such as a bathroom are necessary. That’s another reason that saliva samples are harder to adulterate: as privacy is not required for the collection of the sample, the collection can be done under direct supervision of the tester.

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When compared to blood testing, saliva drug testing is much more comfortable for the subject. Instead of being punctured by a needle (which pay pose some health risks in addition to the immediate discomfort) the subject is required only to undergo a painless swabbing of the inside of the mouth or, in some cases, to spit into a cup.

Saliva tests are also quicker and the results are easier to check than other tests. No special staffing training or technicians are required either to either administer the test or read the results. The analysis of the test can be done at the site of the collection within minutes of the testing itself. Compare this to blood tests, which must be performed by a nurse or phlebotomist and sent to a lab for analysis and it’s easy to see why saliva testing is so much preferred in many cases. As a side note, saliva tests are also much more cost effective when compared to blood tests, costing only around $10 each.

As you can see, there are many reasons why saliva testing for drugs is the preferred method for drug testing. When compared to other methods, saliva testing is faster, easier, more convenient and with quicker results than blood or hair testing, for example. At-home tests are even available for parents wanting to test their teens for drug use, for example. No special training or skills are required to read the results!

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Why Are Oral Drug Tests So Popular?
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