Which Factors can Influence my DNA Results?

Oral Microbiome

A saliva sample or cheek swab is used with DNA kits including StrateGene.  The vast majority of DNA from your saliva sample will be of human origin. However, it is inevitable that bacterial DNA will also make its way into your sample.  

At StrateGene, if bacteria exceed a certain percentage, your sample won’t pass our quality control. You will receive a request from us asking you to collect a new sample.

To reduce your oral microbiome’s ability to ruin your sample, follow this recommendation:

Rinse your mouth with a mouthwash or brush your teeth 30 minutes before collecting your sample. Do not put anything in your mouth for 30 minutes prior to sample collection. You must rinse your mouth and then wait 30 minutes before collecting.

Low White Blood Cell (WBC) Count

The majority of DNA from your saliva sample comes from your white blood cells (WBC’s).  If you have low WBC’s, your saliva sample will fail our quality control. 

Immunosuppressants and chemotherapy also affect WBC count. Both of these may interfere with our ability to process your sample.

If you are folate deficient, talk with your healthcare professional about supplementing with folinic acid prior to collecting your DNA sample. Why? Folate helps your body produce WBC’s.