Never before have there been effective treatments for this condition until now. Most people will notice the advertising media is saturated with products promoted to help with this condition. Most, if not all of them, really do not work very long and some make the problem worse. Alcohol based mouthwashes can, for example, dry out the tissues in the mouth and cause the tissues to secrete plasma protiens which worsen the condition over time.
Odors coming from the stomach are almost never the cause of chronic bad breath.
It is estimated that nearly 60 million people suffer from chronic halitosis in the United States. It is not correct to say that it is primarily caused by gum diseases as some will tell you. Gum disease can be and is a significant cause of halitosis for many but recent research has confirmed that the vast majority of bad breath originates from accumulated bacterial plaques and food coated on the back of the tongue. Since significant numbers of patients can have gum disease as a contributing factor to halitosis, it is important that a dentist diagnose a person's condition to see if that is the cause. With the help of a gas measuring machine called a Halimeter dentists and other health care providers who possess the machine and know how to use it can measure gases coming from the putrefaction of bacteria in the mouth called volatile sulfur gases or VSCs.