How Long Alcohol Can Be Detected in a Saliva Test vs Other Forms of Testing
If you are wondering “how long does alcohol stay in saliva?”, you are probably facing an upcoming test.
On this page, we’ll dive into the details of how a saliva test works, for how long you are likely to test positive, and much more.
Of course, there is a bigger issue that may be at play here. If you are dealing with alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction, simply finding a way to pass a test is only a temporary solution to a bigger problem.
What you really want to do is address the problem of alcohol abuse so this is no longer a concern in your life. For that, consider reaching out to Icarus Wellness and Recovery.
From our location in Boise, we have been able to help countless individuals as they battle alcohol consumption, drug abuse, and many other challenges in life.
Keep reading to learn more about saliva tests for alcohol, and take a moment at any time to give us a call and speak with a member of our friendly team about your situation. We’d be honored to serve you.
Understanding Alcohol Detection in the Body and Saliva
As soon as you consume alcohol, your body starts the process of breaking it down. This work largely happens in the liver, where the alcohol is metabolized at a relatively steady rate. Generally, for most people, the body processes alcohol at a rate of approximately one standard drink every hour.
So, does that mean all traces of alcohol are gone after one hour if you just have a single drink? Not quite. Even if your blood alcohol concentration, or BAC, has dropped all the way to zero, there are still other ways that alcohol can be detected. So, if you have to take an upcoming alcohol test for one reason or another, don’t assume that you’ll be in the clear if your blood alcohol content is at zero.
The other factor at play here is known as alcohol metabolites. These are substances that are produced as a by-product of your body breaking down alcohol. These metabolites stay in your system much longer than the alcohol itself will stay in your bloodstream. That’s why your blood alcohol concentration levels can be zero and you can still fail certain types of alcohol testing.
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How Does a Saliva Test Detect Alcohol Use?
Testing saliva is a common tactic for detecting recent alcohol use. This is a fast method of testing, it is easy to use, and it can be administered without any special facilities. For those reasons, it’s a popular option for workplace screenings, for monitoring probation compliance, and even for roadside checks by law enforcement.
A saliva test doesn’t just look for the presence of alcohol, but also the presence of ethanol. This is the intoxicating compound that is found in alcoholic drinks, and it quickly diffuses into your saliva when you take a sip.
What Factors Determine How Long Alcohol Stays in Saliva?
Generally speaking, a saliva alcohol test can detect alcohol if you have had a drink within the last 10 – 24 hours, although the factors below will influence that timing.
How Much Alcohol Was Consumed
The amount of alcohol consumed plays a role in how long your saliva will test positive for alcohol. Of course, heavier drinking is going to extend the timeframe, while having just one or two drinks will mean the saliva test will come back negative sooner rather than later.
Your Metabolism
Some people simply have a faster alcohol metabolism than others. If you have a slower metabolism, or liver issues, you might test positive for longer after your last alcohol intake.
Your Hydration Levels
People who are dehydrated will test positive for longer after drinking alcohol than people who have had plenty of other beverages. Specifically, if you haven’t been drinking any water recently, and have only had alcoholic drinks, the test is more likely to come back positive.
Sensitivity of the Testing Device
Newer saliva tests are more sensitive than older versions, meaning the newer ones are able to detect even very small amounts of alcohol that are lingering in your saliva. So, as a result, those tests will show a positive result for longer after the last drink.
How Saliva Testing Compares to Other Alcohol Detection Methods
As you are probably aware, saliva testing is only one of many different types of tests in this category, some with a longer detection period. Let’s look at a few of the popular options for determining if you have consumed alcohol recently.
Breath Test
Breath alcohol testing is likely the best-known form of alcohol testing. It is commonly used by law enforcement to test drivers by the side of the road when they are exhibiting signs of intoxication. In some ways, this test is similar to a saliva test, in that it measures ethanol levels.
However, that measurement is taken indirectly by analyzing the breath that comes out of your lungs. Usually, a breath test will be able to detect alcohol for about 12 hours after drinking, although that also depends on various factors.
Blood Tests
When it comes to accuracy, nothing works quite as well as a blood test. Drawing blood will allow the exact concentration of alcohol in the bloodstream to be measured.
This is a highly dependable way to determine impairment. Like a breathalyzer test, it can also detect alcohol for about 12 hours. Not typically used for basic screening, blood tests are more common in medical or legal situations.
Urine Tests
With a urine test, the presence of alcohol can usually be measured for up to 48 hours after the last drink. While urine tests are helpful for determining if someone has been drinking alcohol at all, they are not particularly good at measuring the exact levels of intoxication.
EtG Testing
This is a type of testing that is helpful when the goal is to measure longer-term alcohol use. EtG stands for ethyl glucuronide, and this test has the unique ability to be able to detect alcohol consumption even after the alcohol has been fully metabolized.
When an EtG test is used to analyze urine, it can spot signs of alcohol consumption for as much as 80 hours after the last drink. When hair is used, it can track alcohol use for a full 90 days after drinking. Recovery programs and court-ordered monitoring often rely on this form of testing.
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The Nature of BAC and What It Really Means
No matter what type of testing is used, blood alcohol concentration is typically evaluated. This simply means how much alcohol is in your blood at any given time. Your blood alcohol concentration rises quickly after you start drinking, but it will begin to drop shortly thereafter as your body metabolizes the alcohol.
In general, your BAC will go down by about 0.015% per hour, although many factors like age, gender, and size will influence that rate.
You are likely aware that BAC is used to determine levels of impairment for driving a vehicle. The law is commonly set at 0.08%, meaning anyone with a BAC higher than that should not be driving. This is a useful measure because it helps determine the current level of intoxication of an individual, which is relevant to safety concerns on the road.
A saliva test is good for determining if you have consumed alcohol recently, but it’s not particularly helpful to evaluate the level of intoxication, which is why breath testing is so commonly used in that setting.
Why Would a Saliva Alcohol Test Be Used?
So, if saliva testing for alcohol isn’t typically used by the side of the road, when would this kind of testing be applied? There are a number of useful applications that you should be aware of.
Employment Screening
Companies may use saliva testing to ensure an alcohol-free workplace. This is particularly important in places where safety is of the highest priority, like facilities that use heavy machinery or dangerous pieces of equipment.
Being able to confirm that no one has been drinking is critical, and testing is more effective than just taking employees at their word.
Probation Monitoring
A court may order regular testing for people with a history of alcohol-related offenses. Again here, the saliva test can be a helpful way for a probation officer to confirm that an individual is following the terms of their program.
Treatment Programs
A treatment facility may use a saliva or EtG test to verify abstinence during recovery. One of the core requirements of going through an alcohol treatment program is that no alcohol is consumed while that treatment is underway. So, having a quick and easy way to test for the presence of alcohol is a useful tool.
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What role is alcohol playing in your life? Most likely, it has been a negative force, and you may be battling an alcohol dependence that is impacting you in countless ways.
If you are ready to move past alcohol use and take your life in a new and exciting direction, reaching out to Icarus Wellness and Recovery is an excellent first step.
Alcohol use disorders don’t typically go away on their own. There is a lot of work ahead, but you don’t have to go into this process by yourself. Instead, you can put our experienced and talented team on your side to make lasting recovery a more likely outcome.
Give us a call at any time of the day or night to discuss your needs and make a plan to start treatment right away. Don’t let even one more alcoholic beverage land in your hand before you pick up the phone and reach out for help.
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