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Can mouthwash lead to a DWI? 

On Behalf of | Aug 31, 2022 | DWI Defense

No one wants to get a DWI, and many people actively work hard to avoid it. They make sure that they have a designated driver when they go out with friends, or they use a ride-sharing service to get a ride home at the end of the night. They know that driving under the influence is both dangerous and illegal, so they’re trying to avoid causing an accident or getting arrested.

But there are ways in which someone who is very vigilant about their alcohol intake could still be arrested on DWI charges. One example is if that person has been using mouthwash before they get pulled over.

The problem with mouthwash

The issue with using mouthwash before you drive is that it can contain an incredibly high amount of alcohol. For instance, consider the fact that most beer ranges from 3% to 7% when looking at the total alcohol content of the drink. if you drink a glass of wine, it’s usually around 12 to 13%.

However, mouthwash can be up to 26.9%. Even a type of mouthwash with a low alcohol concentration could be as high as 14%. That’s higher than most wine, and it’s much more than people assume.

There’s also an additional issue because the mouthwash may still remain, at least in trace amounts, in your mouth. This can cause you to blow a higher blood alcohol concentration than if the breath test was actually just measuring the alcohol in your bloodstream. So mouthwash could lead to a DWI in two different ways, both by artificially influencing the test and by having a higher alcohol content than you realized.

If you do find yourself facing serious DWI charges, be sure you understand all the legal defense options at your disposal.

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