They're set the rest of their lives. As long as they continue their tongue scraping and mouth rinsing, that is. Now, if you have garlic or onions, you're going to have bad breath no matter what. But that's just a temporary kind of thing. Smokers' dragon breath is a tough fix.
Cigarettes dry out the mouth and coat the tongue with sulphur compounds, tar and nicotine.
Lesser recommends his patients wipe their tongue and cheeks with plain gauze after smoking and stepping up the toothbrushing and rinsing. He also says the use of a buffered saliva substitute will stimulate more flow in the mouth. Loesche says the oxidizing rinses that are being used by dentists are effective, but he questions whether they are needed long-term. Because bad breath is considered a cosmetic claim, the Food and Drug Administration doesn't require that the safety or effectiveness of the toothpaste or the rinses be proven before they go on the market. People have reported using all of these products, including tongue-brushing, with success.