Certain volatile molecules in the mouth lead to halitosis or bad breath, according to a 2013 study published in the Journal of Natural Science, Biology and Medicine. Alcohol is one such volatile molecule that it can make your breath stink real bad.

Alcohol is not easily digested, as the body sees it as a toxin. It’s metabolized by the liver, but the liver works at a rate that processes only one drink per hour. Due to this slow process, alcohol accumulates in your bloodstream and body tissues, including your lungs, while waiting to be metabolized. This causes the alcohol breath.

To make sure that people do not know that you’ve been drinking a bit too much, you can use simple and easy tricks to get rid of the lingering smell.

1. Brush Your Teeth

Good oral care and hygiene are essential for keeping your breath smelling fresh and for fighting alcohol breath. It will help destroy the odor-causing bacteria inside your mouth. However, be aware that it will not eliminate the alcohol smell coming from your stomach, throat and skin.

2. Drink Black Coffee

Another simple trick to mask alcohol breath is to drink a few cups of strong coffee. It benefits you in two ways.

First of all, coffee will make you alert and help fight the drowsiness, which is important if you are going to the office or need to attend an important meeting. Secondly, the compounds in coffee will lend a nice aroma to your mouth that is far better than the smell of alcohol.

3. Drink More Water

Just like it is recommended to eat something while you drink, it is also important to drink more water.

Alcohol makes your mouth dry, due to its diuretic effect. A dry mouth is a better environment for odor-causing bacteria.

So, if you sip plain water when you are enjoying an alcoholic beverage, it will help you stay hydrated and avoid a dry mouth.

4. Eat Something with Your Drink

To reduce the severity of alcohol breath, you must eat something before or while you are drinking. Chewing food stimulates the production of saliva, and food in your stomach helps absorb some of the alcohol you drink.

Snacks like peanuts, cashews, popcorn, potato chips and other munchies as well as finger foods are some good options you can try.

5. Chew Gum

One of the simplest ways to eliminate alcohol breath is chewing sugar-free gum. Mint- or sour-flavored gum will be most effective.

First of all, the strong smell of the gum will help cover up the smell of booze. Also, it stimulates the production of saliva, which helps rinse away acids, bacteria and any odor-causing particles.

After finishing your drinks, chew a piece of gum for as long as you can. Then, rinse your mouth thoroughly. If needed, repeat again.

6. Chew Raw Garlic

A strong-smelling ingredient like garlic can help mask the smell of alcohol breath. In fact, garlic’s odor is so strong that while masking the alcohol breath, it will leave behind a garlic smell in your mouth.