Saliva tests are used to detect drugs within a few days after use. Many companies prefer the saliva tests to the others, because they are less expensive, non-invasive, and reliable. They are also quick and easy to administer, what makes them best option for on-site use. Unfortunately, this means that you may be caught off-guard or have little time to prepare for it.
Measures taken to help you pass a mouth swab drug test may not guarantee you a 100% success, but they will significantly increase your odds to test negative. The best way to pass the saliva test is to do all the following:
Abstain from drugs
Saliva tests detect only recent drug use. As soon as you get to know about impending test, you should abstain from use. This works best if you have several days before the test. Different drugs have different detectable times. It would be a good idea to find out the detection window of the specific drug that you have used. Knowing the amount of time you have will help you prepare adequately.
Brush your teeth
The saliva test requires oral swab for collecting sample. The sample is usually collected from the area between your gum and lower cheek. It can also be collected on the gum line, near the tonsils or under the tongue. Oral hygiene plays a great role in how much of the drug residue remains in your mouth. Brushing your teeth for up to four times in a day and paying closer attention to cheeks, gums and the tongue significantly decrease the number of drug molecules in your mouth.
Stimulate saliva production
The increased amount of saliva in the mouth can reduce the concentration of codeine by up to sixfold, methamphetamine up to fourfold and cocaine up to fivefold. The same happens with other drugs. Citric candies, chewing gums and other acidic agents are known to stimulate saliva production. Use them regularly before the test.
Eat fatty meals
Most drug metabolites are fat soluble. This means that most of them will be absorbed and stored in the fat cells. While this may increase the general concentration of the drugs in your body, it will be decreased it in the saliva at the same time.
Use detox mouthwash
These are known to be very effective remedies, especially if the test is done within 30 minutes after use. Unfortunately, they start losing their detox properties after 30 minutes, but they are stillindispensable when you don’t have much time to prepare.
Additional tips to increase your chances
- Chewing ice or drinking lots of water helps to rinse out your mouth and dilute your saliva.
- Rinsing out your mouth with lemon, vinegar or sodium peroxide cleans out your mouth and lowers saliva pH.
- Stay away from poppy seeds and cigarettes and notify the examiner about any medications you use. All these may cause false-positive result.
No matter how much time you have, you can always find some way to pass your mouth swab test. Just follow the advice from this article.