How To Manage Alcohol Breath

Maybe you’ve enjoyed a beer or a glass of wine, but you can still taste it on your breath long after. Or a friend or partner comments that your breath smells like alcohol. To understand why the distinctive smell of alcohol lingers after a drink, it’s first important to know how alcohol metabolizes in your body. 

When you drink alcohol, it’s broken down into different byproducts that are eliminated from your body in various ways. One byproduct is acetaldehyde, a compound with a strong, pungent smell. As acetaldehyde travels around the bloodstream, it’s eventually exhaled through the lungs. So when you breathe out, you’ll be able to smell the acetaldehyde on your breath.

Alcohol can also make your breath smell less than fresh by drying out your mouth. Although alcohol is a liquid, it causes dehydration and reduced saliva production. Saliva is essential for washing bacteria out of the mouth, so a dry mouth allows this bacteria to build up and cause an unpleasant smell. 

Alcohol breath will go away by itself once the alcohol is fully metabolized. If you’ve only had a drink or two, this will take a couple of hours at most. However, if you’ve had a heavy night, you might still be able to smell alcohol breath the next day. 

If you don’t want to wait to get rid of alcohol breath, consider taking a travel oral care kit (toothbrush, toothpaste, floss) with you when you go to a social event. That way, you can freshen up whenever alcohol breath strikes. 

We know it’s not always feasible to take care of your teeth when you’re out and about, though. If you can’t pack a travel kit, you can use sugar-free gums and mints to get rid of alcohol breath and freshen up on the go.  

Also, did you know that drinking more water can help alleviate alcohol breath? A glass of H2O can counteract the dehydrating effects of alcohol, help to prevent dry mouth and bacteria build-up, and rinse away any foul-smelling bacteria and food debris lingering in the mouth.  

If alcohol breath is putting a damper on your social gathering, keeping a travel oral care kit and some sugar-free gum or mints on hand can help. But it’s important to remember that getting rid of alcohol breath doesn’t get rid of the effect alcohol can have on your brain and body. You may have minty breath, but that fresh breath won’t make you drive well or pass a sobriety test. Only time can get the alcohol out of your system, so please drink responsibly and stay safe!

This article is intended to promote understanding of and knowledge about general oral health topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your dentist or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.