CHOOSING A TEST
Oral Fluid (Saliva) Testing
Clean, fast, accurate and painless. Learn more about what makes our oral fluid testing for drug and alcohol use truly unique.
ABOUT OUR TESTING
Oral fluid (saliva) testing by Cansford Laboratories is a versatile and sensitive means of detecting drug use in the moment, or up to 48 hours later. This makes it ideal for random testing and for testing over long periods.
Oral fluid test results can be offered instantly, using point-of-care tests. Alternatively, samples can be sent to a laboratory and tested with greater accuracy. For this reason, point-of-care saliva testing is typically used to support other test methods
Our oral fluid testing forms part of our gold standard testing portfolio
Oral fluid testing has many advantages over urine testing – which is why we prefer to offer it (using urine testing as back-up). Samples can be collected with supervision, which often isn’t possible with workplace urine testing. It’s also exceptionally difficult to tamper with saliva samples, when collected under supervision.
It’s important to note that oral fluid test results may only be used as court evidence where the chain of custody is maintained for the sample – in other words, that the claimant can prove that the sample hasn’t been tampered with.
Working with a laboratory like Cansford ensures the chain is maintained. This is not possible with off-the-shelf saliva testing kits, which also offer less accurate results than with tests performed by professionals.
What you need to know about oral fluid (saliva) testing
Detection window:
0 – 2 days
Collection method:
The sample is collected using an absorbent mouth swab and is painless and quick to do.
Advantages:
Oral fluid tests can be offered as a point-of-care or a laboratory test.
Difficult to tamper with the sample – and therefore to cheat the test.
Highly sensitive; highly accurate
Laboratory tests are highly sensitive and highly accurate.
Point-of-care results are offered nearly instantly but act as a screen and are therefore presumptive, Laboratory testing offers fast accurate results.
Disadvantages:
Only offers a limited detection window, and is therefore best suited to testing for drug use in-the-moment.
Donors only produce a limited amount of saliva. This can make retesting difficult.
At collection, donor may be nervous and suffer dry-mouth, which can make sample collection difficult.
Point-of-care test results must be confirmed by laboratory testing.
What test do you need?
Hair Testing
Laboratory testing for drugs and alcohol, between 7 days and 6 months (or more) after use. Can be segmented to show trends of use.
Oral Fluid Testing
Point-of-care and laboratory testing for drugs, between 0 hours and up to 2 days after use. Cannot be segmented.
Nail Testing
Laboratory testing for drugs and alcohol, between 14 days and 8 months after use
Blood Testing
Dry blood spot laboratory testing for alcohol to show the last 28 days of use,
DNA Testing
MoJ accredited DNA testing services with results offered in 3-5 days
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