Listerine: Great for Your Breath but Not a Gonorrhea Killer

The "Total Care" Doesn't Include Killing STIs

There were reports on various sites like The Huffington Post this week that mouthwash Listerine can kill gonorrhea in people's throats, which would be hella awesome...if it were 100 hundred percent true. 

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection that can infect the anus, cervix, penis, urethra, or throat. It is easily treated with antibiotics.

The stories online about the Listerine cure left out the fact that the study mentions that it used a very "small sample size," that the benefits of Listerine against gonorrhea were only checked for "short-term benefits" and other factors that mean that the popular mouthwash just IS NOT ready for prime time use as a way to combat STIs. Jezebel had a great conversation with a doctor about how Listerine really is not a fix for this STI, no matter how optimistic these other sites want to be about the product. 

So, Fleshbot readers, be really careful about where you get your information about keeping your sex safe and disease free.

Left untreated, gonorrhea can cause pregnancy complications, infertility and/or a type of arthritis. You can get tested to make sure that you are free of this infection and other STIs and learn about how to stay STI-free at your local Planned Parenthood.