THC Saliva Test: What Is a THC Saliva Test and How To Pass It?

THC saliva test: What you should know

THC saliva test is a method of testing for THC and if the person had been taking any form of cannabis recently. Drug tests and particularly a THC saliva test can be a dangerous thing if your job or school success depends on them, so, there are certain things to keep in mind in order to pass one. Here are the most important things you need to know about the THC saliva test.

You might be wondering why the THC saliva test is still being applied with so much weed legalization laws going on at the moment. Well, even though legal in some countries in the world, the authorities or your employer is still able to require of you to take the THC saliva test. In fact, the THC saliva test is a fairly new drug test that is cheaper and faster than your regular urine drug test, which is why employers prefer them on regular basis. Here’s how they work, and what you can do to minimize your chances of failing one.

How does a THC saliva test work?

Marijuana close-up via pixabay.

One of the major differences when it comes to the comparison of a THC saliva test and the standard urine test is the fact that they test different compounds in the body. A urine test, for instance, traces down the 11-Nor-9-carboxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH), a metabolite that’s produced when Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is broken down in the body. This compound can be found up to 30 days after consumption of cannabis in any form, depending on your body type.

On the other hand, a THC saliva test tracks the THC itself or also known as Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol. Namely, when you smoke, the THC lines and accumulates on the inside of your mouth before it even gets a chance to get inside your lungs and be metabolized by the body. There are many different saliva tests that are able to detect THC in your mouth for different periods of time of your last smoke. Some are able to trace only up to a day of cannabis consumption, while there are some better ones that are able to detect THC for 3 to 7 days of your last consumption. This means that if you are a pretty devoted smoker and you know a THC saliva test awaits you, then you may want to refrain from smoking for about a week to 10 days in order to make sure you are squeaky clean.

As an additional info, when it comes to the THC saliva test checkup, don’t think that it’s only about THC-containing cannabis-based products. Fortunately, since CBD is not a psychoactive component, there are no tests for it, but even the CBD-rich products have some amount of THC in them that you need to cautious of. For instance, if you are smoking a high-CBD strain then you know that the THC in those can vary greatly. And if you smoke this high CBD strain regularly, then you might fail a THC urine test, and possibly a THC saliva test as well.

Facts to consider when taking the test

When testing for cannabis there are many factors that determine whether you’ll be positive or a THC-negative on it. Namely, apart from the smoking period, you should take your body type into consideration as well. Your body mass, age, metabolic rate, your hydration level, and level of physical activity all play a major role in how fast your body detoxifies after smoking weed.

This being said, you should know that a heavier person with more lipid cells in their body will require more time to detoxify in comparison to a person who is leaner and more physically active. There was a study conducted that successfully proved that exercise plays a major role in THC levels in the body. Namely, when people were tested once before and once after exercising, their THC levels were much lower immediately after exercise.

How to successfully pass a THC saliva test?

There’s no way to cheat on a saliva test, but there are methods to undertake in order to clean yourself from THC faster. Namely, first start by stopping the smoking when you find out that a test awaits you. Brush your teeth, your tongue, and the entire mouth on the inside thoroughly more times during the day. Make sure to drink 3L of water each day and try to get some cardio exercises like jogging each day before the test. In the day of the THC saliva test try eating a large portion of the high-fat meal because fat cells absorb and store THC. Then, just before the test rinses your mouth with some lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide solution (0.3%), or vinegar. There are some commercial products designed to mask THC in your mouth but these work for a maximum of 30 minutes before THC reappears.

Have you been tested with a THC saliva test, either for employment or at a police checkpoint? Share your experiences and how you passed it, us and our readers would love to know.