Frequenlty Asked Questions

About Bristle

What is Bristle?

The Bristle oral health test offers a comprehensive assessment of your overall oral health, including your risk for cavities, gum disease, and bad breath. By analyzing the identity and relative abundance of bacteria in your saliva, Bristle detects the root cause of oral disease and connections to other chronic illnesses. We also provide scientifically-backed product, diet, and lifestyle recommendations based on your unique oral microbiome.

Who is Bristle for?

Bristle is for anyone who is interested in understanding and improving both their oral and overall health. You must be 18 years or older to purchase a Bristle test.

What does Bristle's test look for?

Bristle profiles your oral microbiome - the makeup of bacteria, fungi, and viruses in your mouth. Some of these bacteria are beneficial to our health, while others are harmful and can increase our risk or cause disease. We use advanced genetic sequencing, known as shotgun metagenomics, which you can read more about in our blog post here.

My orders and payment

Where is Bristle available?

Bristle tests are available in all US states except NY. We plan to offer our test in NY state and internationally in the future, so please sign up for our newsletter here to stay updated and be the first to know when its available in your location!

Is there a minimum age I have to be to use Bristle?

You must be 18 years or older to purchase an Bristle test. Folks under the age of 18 will not be able to create an account or receive results.

When will I receive my test?

Orders ship within 1-2 weeks from purchase, and shipping usually takes 3 - 5 business days for delivery. We will provide you with updates on your order via email and you can track the shipment in your dashboard by clicking on the "My Orders" tab.

Can I use my HSA/FSA for payment?

Bristle tests are eligible for reimbursement by most FSA and HSA plans. Since every plan is different, we advise that you check with your plan to confirm that the Bristle test is eligible. Contact us at support@bristlehealth.com to obtain an itemized receipt.

Is Bristle covered by dental or medical insurance?

Bristle is not currently covered by insurance.

Does Bristle offers refunds?

We offer a full refund for test kits if an order is canceled within twenty four (24) hours of purchase. If a refund is requested after 24 hours but within 14 days of purchase of an Oral Health Test, and if the sample is not returned to Bristle, we offer a refund in the amount of the test kit purchase price minus a $25 (USD) processing fee. The shipping and handling costs plus tax (if any and where applicable) are non-refundable. No refunds are available after 14 days of purchase. To request a refund, please send an email to the Bristle Care team at support@bristle.com with your order number. For our full refund policy, please view our terms of service.

My collection kit and sample

How does sample collection work?

Bristle profiles your oral microbiome by using a sample of your saliva. To provide your sample, you spit into a small tube containing a clear liquid solution that functions to stabilize your saliva. You mail back the tube to Bristle's laboratory using the prepaid envelope provided and results are returned online. Detailed step-by-step instructions of the sample collection process are included in each test kit and also available through your account dashboard after registering your kit.

When is the best time to collect my saliva sample?

In general, wait at least 30 minutes after eating, drinking, or smoking before providing your saliva sample. The best time to collect your sample is first thing in the morning, before you've done anything else.

Is there a timeframe for when I have to return my sample?

Our collection kit stabilizes your saliva sample so that it can be properly tested after a period of time. We recommend that you collect and return your sample within 1 month of receiving the kit. After one month, we may cannot guarantee the quality of your sample and accuracy of your results.

What is the clear liquid in the sample collection tube?

This is called a "buffer" solution and helps preserve your sample after you send it back to us for analysis. We provide you with two collection tubes in each kit in case you spill the first one. Our buffer is non-toxic but we do not recommend consuming it.

My results

How long does it take to get my results once I return my sample?

Results will typically be returned to you in 2 - 3 weeks from when we receive your kit to our lab.

What do my results tell me?

At the highest level, your results will give you insight into your oral health status - based on your oral microbiome, clinical, and behavioral risk factors for disease. We boiled down this complex data into easy-to-understand scores related to cavities, gum disease, and bad breath. Digging into your report allows you to investigate the kinds of bacteria in your oral microbiome and what they do. We continually release new features and insights, so keep an eye out for updates and re-visit your report to see what news answers you can uncover!

Can I share my results with my dentist or doctor?

Yes! You can easily share your test results with the "Share" feature in your report.

How do you determine my results?

My privacy

How do you protect my personal information and data?

We fiercely protect your privacy every step of the way — we will never share your personal data without your consent. Even with consent, we will only ever share your data to advance oral health research or at your request. Bristle implements several physical and technical security measures to ensure confidentiality, integrity, security, and availability of Bristle and user data by employing industry standard safeguards such as de-identification, pseudonymization, encryption, and data segmentation. You control how your data is used, stored, and shared. For more information, see our full privacy policy here.

Do you sell my data?

We will never sell your data. Our mission is to empower our users to better understand their oral health to lead healthier and happier lives. We give you choices to control how your personal information is used, stored, or shared. You can request your data and sample be removed from your account by contacting support@bristlehealth.com.
Want to learn more? Check out our terms of service here.

Is Bristle HIPAA compliant?

Yes! Bristle is HIPAA compliant and we work with several software security partners to maintain that standard.

Is Bristle CLIA compliant?

Yes — Bristle tests are analyzed in a U.S. laboratory that is certified by CLIA standards. A CLIA certified lab must meet strict quality standards and ensure both the accuracy and validity of your results.

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