Question:
What if I mess up my DNA Paternity Test? I ate/drank/brushed my teeth before using the DNA Paternity Test and I don’t want my results to be wrong!
Answer: IDENTIGENE DNA Paternity Tests are very easy to use. Simply rub the swab on the inside of the cheek for several seconds, put the swab in the labeled envelope and mail it off to IDENTIGENE.
DNA is extracted from your cheek cells, which are collected when you rub the swab against the inside of your cheek. Eating, drinking, or brushing your teeth will not change your DNA, but it can make for a messy sample. While eating and swabbing won’t change your DNA or cause a wrong result, it might mean that you didn’t get enough cheek cells for good DNA extraction; in other words there may not be enough DNA, but it won’t be different DNA.
Once we receive your samples they will be checked to be sure you have collected enough cheek cells for DNA extraction. If the lab feels that there is not enough DNA present to get a good reading, we will send a recollection kit, at no charge.
Paternity Test: Tips for Collecting Clean Samples
- Wait an hour after eating or drinking before using the DNA Paternity test. This ensures you are collecting the cells from inside your mouth and not bits of turkey sandwich.
- Drinking or brushing your teeth can wash away the loose cells which are what you want to collect with the swab.
- Using the swab, rub the inside of the cheek firmly for 10-20 seconds, rotating the swab as you go. It is the loose cells inside your cheek you want to collect, not saliva or blood.
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