The tooth test is a medical test used to detect exposure to tuberculosis bacteria, but is not commonly used today due to more accurate tests. A doctor pricks the skin with needles coated in tuberculosis antigen, and redness and swelling indicate a positive result. A positive result does not necessarily mean an active infection, and a chest X-ray is needed for diagnosis. The test is not painful and can be performed on other parts of the body if needed.
A tooth test is a medical test used to find out whether a person may have been exposed to the bacteria responsible for tuberculosis. In the past, this test was routinely used to look for the presence of bacteria, but not as a final test to diagnose a current case of tuberculosis. This is because a person can test positive without having tuberculosis. Today, the tooth test is not used very often, as more accurate tests have been developed.
To perform a tooth test, a doctor uses a small instrument with four to six short needles protruding from it to prick the skin. These needles are coated with tuberculosis antigen. An antigen is a substance that causes the body to produce antibodies by provoking an immune system response. The needles inject the antigen just under the skin of the patient’s forearm. In most cases, the doctor marks the area where the test was applied to make the test results easier to read.
After receiving the tooth test, the patient should wait about two to three days to read the results. He will then return to the medical facility and allow medical staff to examine the same area of skin where the needles were placed. If there is redness and swelling, this indicates the presence of the bacteria and the need for further diagnostic tests. The reaction to a positive test can be compared to the swelling and firmness of a mosquito bite; negative tests may be a little red, but papules are not present.
Abnormal or positive tooth test results indicate a tuberculosis infection. This means that the patient has been infected with the bacteria that cause tuberculosis. However, this result does not indicate that the patient has an active infection. Instead it means he was exposed and infected at some point, so his body responded to the antigen under his skin. A chest X-ray is needed to determine whether or not the infection is active.
There is nothing special that a person needs to do before a teeth test. However, those with rashes or other forearm skin irritations may choose to have other parts of the body tested. Typically, the test is not very painful. Many people only notice a mild burning sensation from the tiny needles. Others may notice mild itching or burning after the test.
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