How Long Does Alcohol Stay on Your Breath?

How long does alcohol stays in your breath is an important question if you want to pass a breath analyzer test or want to get rid of alcohol breath. Well, alcohol can be detected in the breath for 12 to 24 hours. 

Read on to learn more about how to get rid of alcohol breath and how long after drinking you can pass a breathalyzer test. Lead a sober lifestyle with ChoicePoint’s personalized alcohol detox programs in NJ. Call 844.445.2565 to schedule an appointment today!

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Understanding Alcohol Metabolism and What Causes Alcohol Breath?

When you consume alcohol, it undergoes the following metabolic pathway:

1. Absorption: When you consume alcohol, it enters the blood from the stomach and small intestines.
2. Distribution: The blood distributes alcohol to various parts of the body.
3. Metabolism: Alcohol is broken down into smaller metabolites in the liver.
4. Elimination: These smaller metabolites are excreted through urine, breath, and sweat. 

When someone drinks alcohol, most of it gets processed by the liver and is excreted through urine, but some of it leaves the body in other ways. Some metabolites of alcohol travel to the lungs through blood. In the lungs, alcohol diffuses into the air and is exhaled with each breath. So whenever you consume alcohol, a small portion is not metabolized but rather exhaled through the lungs. The breath analyzers detect these alcohol metabolites.

How Long Does Alcohol Stay on Your Breath?

Alcohol can be detected on your breath for up to 12-24 hours using specialized tools like breathalyzers. This duration varies and depends on:

1. Type of alcohol consumed
2. The alcohol concentration in your drink
3. Your metabolism and body weight
4. Your liver health

How Long After Drinking Can You Pass a Breathalyzer Test?

To pass a breathalyzer test, you will typically need to wait for the alcohol to metabolize completely. The liver can only metabolize 0.015% BAC per hour. This means that it takes approximately:

• 2-3 hours after one standard drink.
• 5-6 hours after two standard drinks.
• It takes longer for binge drinking or heavy consumption.

How To Get Rid of Alcohol Breath Fast?

As discussed earlier, alcohol in the mouth comes from the lungs rather than the mouth. So it is hard to get rid of alcohol in a breath before alcohol is completely metabolized.  But there are some temporary fixes to get rid of the alcohol smell on your breath:

1. Gargle with Alcohol-Coaintaing Mouth Wash

Rinsing with mouthwash can reduce the smell of alcohol on your breath. However, it doesn’t remove alcohol from your system. 

2. Chewing Gums and Mint

 Sugar-free gum and mints can temporarily mask the alcohol smell and give you a fresh breath. 

3. Drink Plenty of Water

Alcohol dehydrates you, which can make bad breath worse. Drinking water helps flush out alcohol and bacteria in your mouth.

4. Mask the Smelly with Strong-Smelling Foods

We know it is not a practical solution, but if you are struggling to hide alcohol breath, you can consume strong-smelling foods such as garlic and onions to mask the smell.

Alcohol Retention Factors

How Long Does a Unit of Alcohol Take to Leave the Body?

On average, one unit of alcohol takes 1 hour to metabolize.  But what exactly is one unit of alcohol? One unit of alcohol is a standard measurement of alcohol content in a drink.

For example:

One unit of alcohol is 10 ml of pure alcohol. A standard beer contains 2.3 units of alcohol. So, it will take 2-3 hours for the body to get clear alcohol from your system. A large glass of wine has around 3.4 units, so it will take roughly 3-4 hours to clear from your body.

How Long After Drinking Can You Drive ?

Your BAC should be 0% or at least below 0.08% to drive. Alcohol stays in the blood for a longer duration, so ideally, you should not drive after drinking. Here is a general estimate of the duration to eliminate alcohol:

A standard drink = 12 oz beer, 5 oz wine, or 1.5 oz liquor

A More Important Question: Is Your Alcohol Use More Than Just a Habit?

Drinking alcohol is common in social settings, celebrations, and even as a way to relax. But when does casual drinking turn into something more serious? Recognizing the early signs of addiction is crucial for maintaining both physical and mental well-being.

1. Drinking more alcohol than intended.
2. Inability to cut down on alcohol despite several attempts
3. Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when attempting to cut down on alcohol
4. Drinking despite facing negative social, physical, and mental consequences.
5. Engaging in risky behavior to acquire alcohol
6. Drinking alone or secretly and lying about your drinking problem with others. 
7. Experiencing frequent blackouts

Another way to find out is through addiction self-assessment tests. These tests are not a medical diagnosis but can give you an accurate idea if you or a loved one is suffering from addiction. 

Free Addiction Assessment

Please note this assessment is an initial self-screening, and it is not meant to be a medical assessment or clinical diagnosis of addiction. For proper diagnosis and treatment, schedule an appointment with ChoicePoint.

When To Seek Help? Steps Towards Healing at Alcohol Rehab in NJ

If alcohol use is affecting relationships or daily life, it might be time to talk to a professional. There are various alternatives to traditional alcohol rehab to help you recover, such as:

• IOP alcohol detox 
• Outpatient alcohol detox 
• Telehealth treatments
• Maintenance medications through the MAT clinic, such as Disulfiram, Acamprosate, and Naltrexone. 

Here is a summary of available treatments at ChoicePoint to help you get started:

Summary of Alcohol Addiction Treatments in NJ

FAQs Related To How Long Does Alcohol Stay In Your System?

More of your questions related to how long alcohol stays in your system are answered below:

How Long Will 2 Beers Show Up on a Breathalyzer?

It typically takes around 1 to 2 hours for 2 beers to show up on a breathalyzer, depending on factors like weight, metabolism, and alcohol content.

How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Your Hair?

Alcohol can be detected in hair for up to 90 days.

How Long Does 2 Glasses Of Wine Stay in Your System?

On average, 2 glasses of wine take about 1.5 to 2 hours to leave your system, but individual factors such as metabolism and body weight can affect this timeline.

What is the 20-Minute Rule for Alcohol?

The 20-minute rule suggests that it takes about 20 minutes for alcohol to begin affecting the body after consumption. This helps avoid drinking too quickly, which can cause over-intoxication before feeling the effects.

Additional Resources

1. Cederbaum A. I. (2012). Alcohol metabolism. Clinics in liver disease, 16(4), 667–685.
   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cld.2012.08.002
2. Paton A. (2005). Alcohol in the body. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 330(7482), 85–87.
   https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.330.7482.85