Breathalyzers are used by law enforcement to measure a DUI suspect's blood alcohol concentration (BAC). While a suspect is submitting to this breath test, he or she breathes into the device, that way they provide a sample of their breath to the police.

Most adults drink alcohol once in a while, therefore, it's not uncommon for people to wonder if there's anything they can do to trick a breathalyzer test. Will a breath mint throw it off? If you swig mouthwash, will it wash away the alcohol in your mouth?

You'd be surprised at how creative people have gotten when they were trying to invent ways to trick a breathalyzer. From sucking on pennies to chewing gum to drinking mouthwash and holding their breath, all kinds of ideas have been tested, but none of them have been proven effective at lowering BAC.

Some 'Tricks' Make BAC Worse

While some tricks won't affect a person's BAC, there are some that actually make the BAC test higher than it is. These tried and tested tactics, which are commonly misunderstood by drivers, can actually increase your chances of being arrested for DUI.

• Don't use breath spray right before you take a test because it can contain alcohol. Some brands can even give a false positive for 20 minutes after use.
• Don't reach for the Listerine in your purse or car door during a traffic stop. Why? Because Listerine and its generic counterparts contain nearly 30% alcohol.
• Don't pop a breath mint because it could contain sugar alcohol.
• Don't hold your breath. If you do, it actually allows more alcohol into the lungs, which can spike a BAC reading up to 0.15%.

Don't bother the "sucking on a copper penny trick," because not only are pennies no longer made out of copper, it doesn't actually work. If you did fail a breathalyzer test, the best thing for you to do is contact a DUI attorney who can help minimize your legal dilemma.