Study Says Mouthwash ‘Listerine' can Cure Gonorrhea

By Dane Lorica, | December 21, 2016

The study was published in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections. (Mike Mozart/CC BY 2.0)

The study was published in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections. (Mike Mozart/CC BY 2.0)

Researchers claim that gargling Listerine could kill certain bacteria including Gonorrhea-causing pathogen.

As early as 1879, Johnson & Johnson advertised its mouthwash as a cure for the sexually transmitted disease. More than a hundred years passed until a group of researchers verified the company's claim.

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The study included two experiments. The first one included two mouthwash variants, Total Care and Cool Mint. The researchers assessed their ability to stop the bacterial growth in petri dishes. These two mouthwash variants were selected primarily because of their alcohol component, which is believed to have the ability to inhibit bacteria. The findings revealed that a 1:4 dilution of either variant can stop bacterial growth.

The researchers also asked 58 men, who tested positive for the disease, to gargle either saltwater or Listerine Cool Mint for one minute. They discovered that those who gargled the latter had an 80 percent lower chance of having the bacterium than those who used saltwater. They also found out that Listerine is more effective in the tonsil area than in farther ones.

"It might be that more mouthwash reaches the tonsils than the back of the throat during use and highlights the need to gargle and not just rinse," the researchers said.

Gonorrhea is a bacterial infection that may lead to sterility, infertility, and even mortality. The prevalence of the disease, which is caused by Neisseria gonorrhoea, has increased in Australia, doubling the number of affected men for the past five years. Roughly 70 percent of the reports involved males who are engaged in sexual relationships with other men, said lead researcher Eric Chow from the Melbourne Sexual Health Center.

Likewise, the rate of the infection in the U.S. has also increased over the years, according to the Centers for Disease Control Prevention. The organization elaborated that there were 110.7 cases for every 100,000 individuals in 2014 which is equivalent to 5.1 percent inflation from 2013 rate.

The researchers said that it is still unclear if the reduction or complete termination of the pathogen in the throat will also cut down the infection in other body parts including the urethra. Citing previous works, the researchers said that both anal and urethral infection usually originates from the throat. They noted that the experiment was small and further confirmation is needed.

The study was published in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections.

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