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What does a Mouth Swab look like?

A mouth swab is similar to a cotton bud with a cotton-ended part on a single end of the stick. The swabs are sent to you in sterile packaging and it is crucial to handle them in a clean environment with clean hands.

Tips for Successful Saliva Sampling:

  • Follow the instructions provided carefully.
  • It is important to make sure that the swab sample is correctly labeled with the name of the donor and any other information requested.
  • To avoid contamination of the sample it is of utmost importance not to touch the cotton ended part of the swab and to keep swabs from different test participants separate.
  • We provide 4 swabs for each person. Make sure to use all 4.
  • Avoid eating, drinking and smoking for one or two hours before sampling as food and drink may compromise the quality of the sample. You may drink water.

In the case of infants requiring their mouths to be swabbed, again it is important that at least an hour has elapsed since the infants’ last feed and to rinse their mouth with lukewarm water prior to rubbing the swab inside their mouth.

Before starting, please read all the information provided carefully. Ensure that all relevant sections on the Sample Collection Form/s and envelopes are completed in BLOCK letters along with signatures of each participant.

 Instructions: Enclosed in your kit you will find the lollipop swab and FTA card inside the collection envelopes. The sample collection kit can be used for any type of DNA test. Kits are pre-packed and come with lollipop swab and FTA cards to accommodate each person to be tested.

Please read below:

  • It is recommended to brush your teeth and rinse your mouth out with water. We recommend you not to eat, drink (excluding water), or smoke for at least one hour before a mouth swab sample is It is preferred to drink water prior to the collection. This is preferable, as a dry mouth can make it difficult to collect a good sample.
  • Complete the requested information on both the swab (coloured) envelope and all the details on the Sample Collection Form (Complete with signatures of consent).
  • Wash your hands before collecting the sample and avoid touching the FTA sample card unnecessarily. It is important to collect one sample at a time and the envelope per
  • Collect cheek cells by rubbing the tip of the lollipop swab firmly on the inside of your cheek (30 times or for about 1 minute). Use a similar pressure to brushing your teeth, rotating the swab as you go. Be certain to move the swab over the entire inner cheek This action should be firm but not aggressive and should not be uncomfortable.

  • Press both sides of the swab firmly onto the pink area of the FTA card. Use the paper cover of the FTA card to help push the Foam Tipped Applicator into the FTA card.

  • Allow the FTA sample card to air dry for a couple of seconds before placing it back into the foil-lined package, always making sure not to touch the pink circle (DNA sample) with your fingers or against any REMOVE the pillow pak from the foil-lined package. Slide the foil-lined package directly into the coloured envelope that they came in.
  • Repeat the process for every individual being tested using a different set of swabs and envelope for each

 How to send the samples: Send your samples and Sample Collection Forms back to us in the self-addressed envelope provided. Please remember to attach sufficient postage stamps. We recommend using a courier or registered post services for traceability purposes.

Results: Your results will be sent to the e-mail address provided upon registration and/or on the Sample Collection form. You can order a hard copy of the result to be sent by post for an additional payment.

Consent: It is important that each person submitting their own mouth swab for testing gives consent by filling in their personal details and signing on the Sample Collection form. Children under the age of consent need to have a signature of a legal parent or guardian. Failure to do so will result in delays in the test.

Once We Recieve Your Samples

Once we receive your samples, we will send you a confirmation email and you will be given the date when your results will be completed. Results are issued by email as standard or by email and hard copy for an added cost.