Daily mouth rinsing and gargling with a basic commodity available in the supermarket could be an inexpensive and easy way to help control the spread of gonorrhea, an STI on the rise in many countries, according to reports. results of a study published by the medical journal Sexually Transmitted Infections.
Listerin, a mouthwash eliminates gonorrhea bacteria
First, researchers from the Melbourne Sexual Health Center in Australia verified the statements of the manufacturer of Listerine who in 1879 claimed that his mouthwash was effective against gonorrhea.
They used a Listerin solution, which contains 21.6% alcohol in the laboratory. They observed that this mouthwash had slowed down the growth of cultures of the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae, killing them and “significantly” reducing their number.
The researchers then performed a clinical trial with 196 gay and bisexual men who had previously tested positive for gonorrhea.
Gonorrhea becomes resistant to treatment
33 of the volunteers gargled with Listerin and 25 others with saline solution. After rinsing and gargling for 1 minute, gonorrhea remained in the throat of 52% of the men who used Listerin, against 84% for the others.
After five minutes of mouthwashing, the majority (80%) of men who used Listerin are less likely to have these bacteria in their throats than other participants.
If these results suggest a preventive solution, the researchers point out the need for additional studies to confirm these conclusions.
Read also:
STIs: what are the risks of transmission according to sexual practices?
STIs: watch out for antibiotic resistance
Monogamy to fight against STIs?
