Medical professionals commonly look to pH test results for help with diagnosing or monitoring certain conditions. A fluid’s acidity or alkalinity is measured by pH, or potential hydrogen, which refers to the concentration of hydrogen ions present in the solution. The pH range runs from 0 to 14, with lower numbers indicating acidity and higher numbers indicating alkalinity of the test liquid. While you can test either your saliva or urine with a digital meter, urine pH levels tend to be more erratic due to the amount and numerous types of bodily substances that constantly pass through it.
Items you will need
- Digital pH meter
- Distilled water
- Clean, soft towel
- Small container
Test your saliva first thing in the morning before you drink anything or brush your teeth. If you’re testing later in the day or evening, wait at least 2 hours after consuming food or drink. Fluids and food particles remaining in your mouth after eating will affect pH readings. Test first morning urine after at least 6 hours of sleep.
Power your digital pH meter on. Switch the mode to “pH” if necessary. Connect the probe to the corresponding jack on the meter if yours is a two-piece device.
Calibrate the digital pH meter with the included liquid solutions according to the enclosed recommendations. This procedure varies between manufacturers and device product lines and is unique to your particular meter. Some models come pre-calibrated from the factory.
Rinse the probe in distilled water and dry it with a clean, soft towel.
Apply the recommended amount of saliva or urine to the tip of the pH meter’s probe. Use an eyedropper to put a drop of the fluid on the probe tip, or carefully place the probe into a small container of the liquid and stir it briefly with the probe tip. This procedure varies according to the type and style of your digital pH meter. Allow the probe to remain in the sample fluid until the digital display stabilizes. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Note the digital reading. A pH between 7.35 and 7.45 is typically considered ideal. Readings differ between saliva and urine. Normal saliva pH runs between 7.0 and 7.5, while normal urine will read between 6.5 and 7.5.
Rinse the probe well with distilled water. Dry it with a clean, soft towel. Store the pH meter and its components according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Do not save or try to reuse pH meter calibrating solutions to avoid contamination of reading results.
- Home pH tests may not be completely accurate. Only your health care professional can test pH levels with a high degree of accuracy to determine what’s normal for you.
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