Daily use of antiseptic mouthwash does not prevent the acquisition of oropharyngeal gonorrhoea and other bacterial STI in gay and bisexual men, new research shows.

In recent years, clinicians have investigated the potential for Listerine as a non-antibiotic intervention to curb N. gonorrhoeae transmission in men who have sex with men (MSM) given the high prevalence of asymptomatic infection of the throat.

However, findings from two separate studies published in Lancet Infectious Diseases, has effectively poured cold water on the idea.

In the Australian OMEGA (Oral Mouthwash use to Eradicate Gonorrhoea) study, a team led by Dr Eric Chow from the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre investigated whether daily use of Listerine could prevent gonorrhoea infection over a three-month period.