Why use a saliva DNA sample for your paternity test?

Paternity DNA testing is today the definitive means of establishing paternity. Doing any such test requires that you send in a saliva DNA samples. Companies encourage using saliva samples; however, many people know very little about this sample and feel inclined to choose a blood sample. The article highlights the reasons that make testing using saliva a far better option.

Paternity DNA testing: is blood still used?

Blood can still be used in a paternity DNA test but is rarely recommended. Blood extracted with a medical blood draw is very rich in DNA which is found in the white blood cells. There are still many requests by clients who automatically assume they will need to provide blood samples for their paternity test. This is probably due the fact the blood was widely used in the past for DNA testing and moreover, originally paternity testing could only be done by comparing blood groups in what is still referred to as blood typing. The blood typing system however, was rather inaccurate to determine paternity, mainly because it could only tell you who could almost definitely not be the biological father and not who definitively was.

A paternity test using DNA extracted from blood is highly accurate as a sample. You need to nevertheless, consider that the blood needs to be drawn using a syringe by a doctor or nurse and many are quite reluctant if not fearful of having blood sucked out of a vein. Following any invasive procedure, there is also a minor risk of infection on the site where the syringe has punctured the skin and the vein. DNA testing companies always discourage using blood because of the futile hassles involved in getting the blood and posting the blood.

The preferred DNA sample: saliva samples

Using saliva is simple and painless to sample. It gives the added option of being able to take your own DNA samples without the need of a doctor. Saliva is collected using a sterile mouth swab which you can buy from any pharmacy and which is also included in the price of most DNA tests. The swab is simply rubbed inside the mouth and around the inner cheek in order to collect buccal/cheek cells. Once this has been done, the swabs are left to dry and sent off for testing.

Saliva DNA samples collected in this way provide extremely high success rates (equal to using blood) as long as basic sampling procedures are followed such as not eating or drinking for up to an hour before the test.

These days there are many DNA samples you can use for your test. Although there are a range of samples that can be used, including blood, these other DNA samples are only recommended when taking a simple saliva sample cannot be done for your paternity DNA test.