Testing for drugs, alcohol or even any illnesses with saliva is a non-invasive method that is absolutely painless. The saliva of the concerned person is taken and collected in a tube to measure for certain hormones, drugs or any foreign body that should not be found in a human body. This method is mostly chosen by people no matter for what purpose it is being collected for in the privacy of their homes. Most workplaces in many countries test their employees for drugs and alcohol. So if saliva is collected it can be done quietly in privacy.
Why Is Saliva Testing Done?
When it comes to testing for substances further than the normal drunk and alcohol testing method, then the only way to get answers to the question of whether the person takes substances or not is by testing for samples which would be able to report for abnormalities in the hormones of certain parts in the body. It is definitely not possible to get desirable answers or results for the standard tests done, as it would not be able to determine the exact amount of excess hormone found in the body and what can it mean, etc. This is why saliva testing is considered to be the best way of testing. For this, it can be done with simple saliva test kits that are most often found in open markets.
Apart from being performed on patients, saliva testing using saliva test kits is done on people who are found high on drugs. This test uses very simple devices that provide indications of certain drugs. This is possible because of the presence of these substances in the saliva. This form of testing has become very popular because it is not invasive and gives the concerned person his or her due privacy in a moment of crisis. It is also done on roadsides and so is a very popular method of testing.
The Working of A Saliva Test Kit
Some saliva test kits have absorbent pads in them to facilitate saliva testing. Even if the kit does not have those absorbent pads, they can be performed using swabs. The saliva thus, collected flows through the test kit and if the saliva does not flow properly, a buffing agent is used. This helps the saliva to flow through smoothly. The inability of saliva to flow through is a problem with the saliva of people who have low fluid content or dry mouths. Their saliva is thus, very sticky and refuses to flow through properly. This saliva then flows to the test strip.
When the saliva reaches the control line in the saliva test kit, the results will be determined. A line in some test kits indicate that there is no drug found or the test is negative. The total absence of a line is an indicator that the sample requires further inspection in a laboratory to determine clearly the exact result.
In some saliva test kits, the absence of a line indicates that the result is negative. So you will have to know exactly which kit indicates what before coming to any sort of conclusion. This is most often a cause of confusion in many people. But after properly reading the instructions in the manual of the kit, you are bound to come up with answers to clarify your doubts. So be extra careful in this before declaring the results as that could jeopardize a person’s life to any extent.
The Place of Saliva Test Kits
Saliva test kits are an on-site method of testing to check for drugs or any other substances or even illnesses. So when in doubt, before calling in any department to action, it is best to get the preliminary results extracted by conducting the saliva test. In that way, a lot of hassles are done away with and the person concerned is also spared the embarrassment and mental agony of being subjected to such major tests.
If any graveness in the situation arises after testing with a saliva test kit, then the concerned sample can be sent to the laboratory for further testing.
The Accuracy Provided By Saliva Test Kits
Saliva test kits are mostly accurate always. But there are certain drugs that are beyond the scope of such kits. Thus, they require further investigation using different methods. And accuracy varies from testing kit to kit and sometimes from brand to brand. So judging with this test kit cannot always be done accurately. But there are certain parameters, which if met, the results will be accurate.
So before drawing any conclusion, make sure to read the manual and instructions printed on the saliva test kits carefully. If not, serious damages may be caused and uproars may take place which could be avoided by being a little careful.