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How to Pass a Mouth Swab Drug Test: Best Hacks for 2023
Many urban legends and myths concern drug testing, and since most of them are controversial, this guide was written to answer all questions and help you learn how to pass a mouth swab drug test.
Table of Contents
What Is a Mouth Swab Drug Test, and Why Is It Done?
A mouth swab drug test is an oral fluid-based screen performed by obtaining residual amounts of drug within a person’s saliva. This test mostly checks for the presence of TetraHydroCannabinol (main component of marijuana), opiates, amphetamines, methamphetamine, and cocaine.
Saliva drug tests are widely used in USA, Canada, UK, Australia and some other countries, mostly for roadside and workplace testing. As saliva contains traces of recently consumed substances and can be collected right on the spot, it is very effective for postaccident drug and alcohol tests and for detecting on-the-job drug use. The mouth swab test is also used for preemployment drug screenings as well as for any reasonable suspicion, return-to-duty, or just random testing.
How Is the Oral Test Done?
This question is very important for learning how to pass a saliva drug test. It can be done in two ways: through swabbing or placement of strips.
A strip is placed in an individual’s mouth and absorbs saliva through a membrane. The saliva wets the strip containing antigen dyes, which detect drug metabolites and change the color of the strip. Absence of color signifies that a person is drug free.
The swab is scrubbed between the gums, in the lower part of the cheek, or under the tongue for approximately two minutes or until a sufficient sample is collected.
In modern drug testing kits, results can be interpreted right away (no need to send to a laboratory). Home test kits are also available, which allow someone who undergoes an oral test to wet the test swab with their own oral fluids and put it into the well of a special device. Interpretation of the test results is available in 10 minutes on the display.
What is an Inconclusive Test?
Laboratory examiners can declare a mouth swab result as inconclusive when there is evidence that your saliva sample is more diluted than average. This typically raises suspicions because it is a sign that you may have tried to tamper with your saliva to mask drug use.
While this is not enough proof for a tester to fail you, it is enough to raise suspicions. You will need to have a good explanation about your saliva dilution, like telling the testers that you are drinking a lot more water than usual. Regardless of your reason, inconclusive result means that you did not pass your mouth swab drug test and you will be asked to retake it.
Pros and Cons
PROS
- Mouth swab tests are up to 60% more accurate in detecting methamphetamine, opiates, and cocaine compared with urine tests and produce far fewer false negative results. Reliability and accuracy are the two foremost reasons why many organizations consider this kind of test as a way to screen employees and children for drug use, abuse, and misuse.
- The saliva test is noninvasive. A sample collection is performed easily, and no privacy and embarrassment issues are present.
- It is very easy to conduct and does not require a special room and professional staff, such as a lab technician or a nurse.
- It is done very quickly; results are obtained in 5–10 minutes.
- Chances of adulteration or instances of tampering or manipulating the sample, which commonly occur in urine drug testing, are also very minimal.
- Saliva drug testing kits are widely available over the counter. They are accessible anywhere and everywhere 24/7.
- Mouth swab drug tests are very portable and easy to administer.
- This type of test is excellent for on-duty screening, as an employer can instantaneously test workers to determine if they are under the influence of a drug while at work.
- It can detect many different drugs at the same time.
- The saliva test device itself is more expensive than the urine one, but as it saves time and does not require a special room and trained staff, it can be cheaper to conduct in some cases.
CONS
- The mouth swab drug test can only detect drugs that are consumed within a short period of time (usually 24–72 hours for different drugs) before the test. Otherwise, a greater amount of a drug needs to be consumed by the individual for the test to turn positive if the screening occurs before this time frame.
- Different suppliers of oral drug test kits follow varying measurements, so there are no fixed benchmarks for interpretation of results.
- Although it can detect many drug metabolites, the mouth swab test is less reliable for detecting THC (cannabinoids) than a urine test.
- It is usually more expensive per test than urine screening.
How Long Do Drugs Stay in Your Saliva?
A mouth swab test is performed to detect drug metabolites within a short period of time after the drug was used. Actual detection times vary, because they depend on weight, age and metabolism of the user, frequency of drug use, and other details. For example, after smoking one occasional joint you are supposed to pass THC test much faster than any chronic pot smoker. Here is how far back a saliva drug test goes for different drugs:
| Substance | Detection Starts | Detection Lasts |
| Alcohol | instantly | 12 hours |
| Nicotine | 1 to 4 hours | 3 to 7 days |
| PCP | 2 to 6 hours | 3 to 5 days |
| Meth | 2 to 7 hours | 3 days |
| Ecstasy (MDMA) | 2 hours | 3 days |
| LSD | 2 to 6 hours | 3 days |
| Amphetamines | 1 to 4 hours | 3 days |
| Barbiturates | 2 to 7 hours | 2 to 3 days |
| Opiates | 1 to 7 hours | 2 days |
| Heroin | 2 hours | 2 days |
| Morphine | 2 to 7 hours | up to 7 days |
| Cocaine | 1 to 7 hours | 3 days |
| Benzodiazepines (Xanax) | 2 to 8 hours | 2 to 3 days |
| Valium | 2 to 7 hours | 3 days |
| Mushrooms | 2 to 6 hours | 3 days |
| Marijuana | 1 to 4 hours | 2 to 4 days |
How to Pass a Saliva Drug Test
Many people don't know how to pass a mouth swab drug test, because in most cases it is requested on short notice, so there is no time to prepare. However, there are proven ways to remove drug metabolites from saliva. Here are useful tips and tricks:
Before the test:
- Stop taking drugs as soon as you know about your forthcoming test.
- Brush your teeth properly three times a day, and focus on the gum line, cheeks, and tongue, which are the most common areas for the swab drug test.
- Do not smoke within 48 hours of the expected test. Nicotine could result in a false positive.
- Do not eat poppy seeds. Opium is made from poppy seeds; thus, eating them will likely yield a false positive result.
- Eat fatty foods. Consuming high-fat meals one hour before the oral drug test can speed up drug absorption and decreases the likelihood of detecting drug metabolites in the mouth.
- Conceal drug chemicals in the mouth. This can be done, for example, by consuming Altoid mints or chewing gum.
- Drink lots of water to keep your mouth clean and fresh.
- Chewing ice will keep your mouth rinsed, dilute saliva, and reduce the proportion of drug metabolites below the cutoff level.
- Make use of kitchen ingredients. Lemon juice and apple cider vinegar are good precleanse solutions because they change the pH or acidity level in the mouth.
- Buy the right saliva detox mouthwash. Products such as Stinger Detox and Ultra Wash help you pass a mouth swab drug test by cleaning traces of drugs away within minutes before the test.
Detox mouthwashes are very effective in neutralizing traces of drugs in your saliva, but they require careful timing. Their effectiveness usually begins from one to 10 minutes after use and ends after 60 minutes, with the most effective time frame being within the first 30 minutes regardless of the duration and level of drug usage. Carefully read the directions for your chosen product to ensure that you pass a mouth swab drug test successfully.
During the test:
- If possible, try to ignore all laboratory instructions. You don’t want to help them prove your guilt do you?
- If the examiner lets you hold the swab stick, avoid swabbing in between your teeth and the gum line.
- Inform the doctor or the examiner if you are currently taking medications, as these can influence test results. Painkillers, such as Ibuprofren, likely provide a false positive result.
While the above-mentioned hacks will likely produce a negative result, the best way to pass a saliva drug test is NOT TO TAKE DRUGS AT ALL. Not using drugs is the best and surest way to not only pass any drug test but also to protect your health.
Products Recommended to Pass a Mouth Swab Test
Many solutions for oral fluid-based screens, such as Magnum, High Voltage, Supreme Klean, Breath of Fresh Air, Oral Clear, Kleaner Spray, are available on the market, but not all of them are really helpful. Here are a few best-selling saliva neutralizing products for those who want to prepare for passing a saliva drug test. This list is based on customer reviews to help you make the right choice.
Ultra Wash Toxin-Cleansing Mouthwash
One of the best detoxifying solutions for the mouth swab drug test is Ultra Wash. Just keep this mouthwash in your pocket and you will no doubt beat an unexpected saliva test. In just 10 minutes, your saliva will be free from all unwanted substances, including marijuana, alcohol, and nicotine.
Stinger Detox Mouthwash
Stinger Mouthwash is another detoxifying solution that will surely flush away any toxin found in the saliva. It is made to erase any drug metabolite of marijuana, opiates, cocaine, nicotine, alcohol, meth, and amphetamines before a saliva drug test. It has a pleasant taste, does not cause mouth dryness, and is guaranteed effective! Take Stinger 30 minutes before the test.
Saliva 6 Home Drug Test Kit
Based on immunoassay technology, the saliva 6 drug test kit is a home-based test pack designed to detect any trace of illicit substances before a mouth swab drug test to help you make certain your oral fluid will test negative. A saliva home drug test kit is able to detect six particular substances, namely the following: THC, opiates, cocaine, meth, amphetamines, and PCP. Results are available in about 10 minutes.
Why Should You Use Detox Mouthwash?
- Tiny bottle makes it incredibly discreet and practical enough to keep in your pocket, bag or car so that you are always ready to pass an unexpected saliva drug test. You won't need to worry about getting fired just because you use marijuana for recreational or medicinal reasons.
- The alcohol-free mouthwash won't burn or dry out your mouth. It also won't leave a horrible aftertaste or make you smell like alcohol.
- It's non-toxic and safe for your health, even if you accidentally swallow some while using it.
- The mouthwash does not have a distinctive smell, and it won't show up on saliva tests. This means that drug testers won't accuse you of trying to tamper with your results.
- We use unmarked, plain boxes for packaging our product so that there's no indication that you've ordered a drug masking product.
- This detox mouthwash not only works really quickly, but it's also safe with no side effects at all.
- Delivery is quick and easy. Our overnight-by-noon delivery option will have your order delivered the next day when you order before 2pm ET. Don't wait another moment because your next mouth swab may happen sooner than you think.
How Does Detox Mouthwash Work?
A mouth swab saliva test only detects recent drug use. By 'recent' we mean marijuana use within the past few hours or the past few days at the most. This is because oral fluids can self-cleanse to flush foreign chemicals from the mouth of the user in a short amount of time.
The mouthwash has fast-acting ingredients that quickly mix with the saliva to rid the mouth of unwanted substances. This includes ridding the mouth of traces of drug metabolites, such as THC. You need to know that any new saliva your body produces will still be contaminated with drug by-products as long as the substance is in your bloodstream. The mouthwash will mask drugs for about 15 to 30 minutes after the rinse, and becomes entirely swallowed and dissolved in your system later.
If you want to pass the mouth swab drug test, you must plan to use the mouth cleanse close enough to the sample collection time so that it's still effective when the test is done.
The good news is that the product won't show up on drug adulteration tests because it contains all-natural ingredients. Not only is it safe, but lab staff won't accuse you of cheating on your drug test.
Can You Pass an Oral Test with Home Remedies?
Some online guides recommend home remedies to pass a mouth swab test. But just because the remedies are popular, doesn't mean that they actually work. None of the home remedies we'll show you today have been designed to mask drug use, and none of them have any scientific studies or evidence to show that they work.
Someone who trusts one of these myths will be taking a massive risk in using a solution that has no real evidence to cleanse drug toxins from their system.
Here are the most popular myths on the internet at the moment.
Listerine
Some people believe that dissolving Listerine strips in your mouth helps pass an oral drug test. They say that you should dissolve one piece on the inside of each cheek and one under your tongue to absorb any THC residue on the day of the test. You must also give your mouth a thorough rinse with Listerine mouthwash about 30 minutes before the test. Rinse with water to remove any lingering toxins and then rub two more strips in your cheeks on the way to the test.
The problem with this theory is that there's no ingredient in Listerine known to detox drugs from saliva. It is made to kill mouth fungi and bacteria but will have no effect on drug metabolites from opiates, coke, THC or any other drug. You will definitely have the best smelling mouth in the test group, though.
Vinegar
People also believe that you can make your own saliva neutralizing mouthwash by mixing a tablespoon of vinegar in a cup of water. They say that the vinegar that has low pH makes oral fluids more acidic, what leads to producing more saliva and thus dilutes any traces of drug byproducts in a saliva swab sample.
This might sound great in theory, but there is no proof that changing pH level of oral fluids has any impact on the results of a drug test. You can use vinegar only as a pre cleanse solution before detox mouthwash.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is a nasty substance that can cause internal damage if you accidentally ingest it in dangerous quantities.
Those who use this method to pass a mouth swab test say that you should brush as much plaque as possible from your teeth and tongue. The next step is to rinse with a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution and spit it out. After that you should use a cotton wool ball to clear your mouth out. You will need to keep a hydrogen peroxide solution with you at work and gargle a mouth full just before the test. This time, you must swallow the solution to get rid of all the saliva that was left in your mouth after the morning process.
While many people claim that the method works, it comes at considerable risk to your health, because swallowing the hydrogen peroxide is not safe.
What to Do If You Fail?
Even if you fail your saliva test, don’t get upset, and don’t give up. Statistics say 5 to 10 percent of results are false positives, so first of all, guess what could possibly cause a false positive. Remember all medications, prescription drugs, vitamins, and even questionable foods, such as poppy seeds, that you have taken, and mention them to those who test you. Act as though you’re confused and ask for a confirmation test, which is guaranteed by law, to prove your innocence. It’s better to ask for a urine test, as it will take a few days to administer, and you will have time to prepare for passing it. Finally, you can find a good lawyer and ask for legal advice.
After reading this guide you know how to pass a saliva drug test, but remember that using the hacks above in lawfully administered or court-ordered drug tests is a felony. You can do this only to protect your privacy in unofficial tests, for example to get a job that does not require high safety measures in a private company. Because medical or recreational needs cannot be a reason for discrimination.
