Halitosis is the medical term for bad breath. Everyone gets bad breath from time to time — especially after eating garlic, onions or other strong foods. But bad breath that doesn’t go away (chronic halitosis) could mean you have an oral health issue or a condition that’s affecting another part of your body. Halitosis is a symptom of many different conditions. In other words, it’s like a warning message from your body. Finding the root cause of halitosis is the first step in treating the issue.