Why alcohol makes your breath bad

It's not just garlic, onion, and spices that cause bad breath; alcohol is also a leading cause. And for very specific biological and chemical reasons.

Some of the alcohol is expelled with the breath

When you drink, theethanol enters the blood and is metabolized mainly by the liver. However, a small part it is not metabolized and is eliminated via:

the breath
il sweat
urine

When alcohol passes from the lungs into exhaled air, it carries with it volatile compounds which have that characteristic odor. This is why your breath smells of alcohol even hours after drinking.

Compounds that form with strong odors

During the degradation of ethanol, substances such as acetaldehyde, which have a pungent odor. These compounds can contribute to bad breath and are expelled through breathing.

Alcohol dries out the mouth

The alcohol reduces saliva production. The saliva normally:

cleans the mouth
limits the growth of bacteria

When the mouth is dry, the oral bacteria produce more sulfur compounds, which are among the main causes of bad breath.

Residues of alcoholic beverages

Some alcoholic beverages (wine, beer, cocktails and sugary drinks) leave sugars and residues smelly substances directly into the mouth, and these feed bacteria, making bad breath worse.

Residence time

Traces of alcohol remain mixed with saliva for a long time, even 12-24 hours, and with this they prolong their negative effect on breath, making it bad.