Salivaomics, or saliva testing, has been around since the early 1800s. Even though the method is substantially old, it’s still used in modern medicine for many reasons; it’s also become one of the more accessible diagnostic approaches. Because saliva is such a handy biological fluid, it can identify various markers that include endocrine, immunologic, infection, and even inflammatory, to mention only a few.
Steroid hormones like cortisol, enzymes, antibodies, genetic material, and various substances can be detected during the saliva testing process.
A saliva collection kit is found in just about every laboratory worldwide. Beyond this, doctors, nurses, and other medical practitioners also have them on hand as a staple. Moreover, these kits are also available directly to the consumer, so Salivaomics is the most accessible testing method.
With that said, if you’re wondering just how versatile Salivaomics is, we’ve listed some of the more commonly known instances where saliva is used for diagnostics.
Covid Testing
At this point, most of the world’s population has already been tested for covid19 at least once. As a result, most of us know saliva testing is now the standard, despite nasal swabs being the first prominent approach. Clinical trials prove that saliva testing is just as effective as a testing approach for covid19 and its many variants.
Because patients find this approach far more comfortable than nasal swabs, saliva testing is an excellent solution for everyone. Moreover, because saliva testing kits can be ordered online, this texting method is more convenient than nasal swabs. As a direct result of the convenience of these covid testing kits, sales continue to increase along with a new high demand.
As the virus continues to mutate and spew out new variants, we all need to have some line of defense at home. And while keeping your immune system optimal, sanitizing often, and social distancing are all recommended, it’s also wise to keep a test kit on hand. This way, you won’t need to wait for test delivery or head to a testing site when you aren’t feeling so well.
So, having a test at home is also a great way to ensure the spread of the virus stops at you if you do happen to contract covid19. Even so, because there are so many covid test kits on the market, it’s wise to shop around for the best one.
Substance Abuse Testing
Substance abuse is a growing global problem that destroys lives and tears families apart. And while several factors increase an individual’s risks of substance abuse, the best course of action for loved ones is often to implement routine testing.
While rehabilitation is often essential, relapse is always a risk, so loved ones need to find ways to ensure they can provide practical support through every step of the lengthy recovery process.
The most common use for Salivaomics, before the pandemic, is testing for substance abuse. However, there are several methods used for this as well. However, while urine tests are effective, patients can easily swap samples or influence results. On the other hand, blood samples are also effective indicators. Yet, this approach is a lot more expensive, and you’ll need to visit a healthcare practitioner to have the sample collected.
Saliva tests serve as the perfect solution for both comfortable testing for the patient and affordability. These kits are effective for identifying substance use, they can be purchased online, and patients won’t be able to influence results.
Genetic Testing
Genetic testing determines if individuals have congenital conditions, might develop them, or pass them onto their children. As a result, genetic testing provides valuable insight into patient health and wellbeing. The different genetic testing methods include cheek swabs, blood samples, saliva samples, and others.
These days, saliva testing does not require consumers to visit the lab or even the doctor. With direct-to-consumer saliva testing, you can order your test kit online, collect a sample, mail it back following instructions, and have the results sent to you.
So, the convenience of direct-to-consumer processes means you can do genetics tests from the comfort of your home. Even if you are only curious about your genetic ancestry, you can purchase a saliva test kit and have this information sent to you without visiting a healthcare practitioner.
Allergic States
If you think you might have food sensitivities, seasonal allergies, or a mystery allergy, then you can order an allergy test online. These tests also work with saliva collection. Uncovering potential allergies at home have never been more convenient; you won’t have to keep guessing why your sinuses are so clogged up or where that odd itchy rash came from.
Saliva is commonly used to test for allergic states. However, the most accurate allergy test is a skin prick test. Second, to skin prick tests, blood tests are also exceptionally accurate.
Others
Beyond the above-mentioned, saliva tests also effectively identify reproductive hormone irregularities, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, oral cancer, several infectious conditions, and even parasitic infection. Moreover, they are also used to diagnose cardiovascular disease, periodontitis, and viral herpes. So, there’s no doubting the versatility and effectiveness of saliva testing kits.
Because this diagnostic technique is so versatile, accurate, affordable, and accessible, it’s become one of the more prominent techniques in modern medicine. But even so, there are instances where saliva testing is not the best approach.
Saliva testing is so much more than a convenient diagnostic technique; it’s also affordable and accessible enough for everyone. Because of the ongoing pandemic, these kits are quickly becoming a part of our home first aid kits. But they’re also useful to have for several other reasons.
That said, when purchasing a saliva collection kit, be sure to read the instructions carefully to ensure you are collecting the sample properly. Moreover, it will also be worth your while to opt for quality; there are tons of different saliva collecting kits out there, and they aren’t all the same, just like with any other product on the market.