Zinc Poisoning and Denture Cream Use
If you’re one of the 45 million denture wearers in the U.S. and you have recently suffered paralysis, tingling in your hands and feet, muscle weakness or loss of balance, please take note: your denture cream may be endangering your health.
Your symptoms could be a sign of nerve damage caused by the zinc that is used in popular denture creams such as Fixodent and Super Poli-Grip.
If you’ve suffered any of these serious symptoms while using those denture adhesives, you may have a legal claim for medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Call the New York attorneys of Schwartzapfel Partners P.C. today at (800) 966-4999 or fill out our online contact form for a free case evaluation.
The danger of zinc in denture creams came to light in a 2008 study published in the medical journal Neurology. The study analyzed the zinc content of Fixodent and Super Poli-Grip, the denture creams used by four patients with unusual neurological symptoms. The startling conclusion of that study: those patients had been exposed to excessive and dangerous amounts of zinc, causing serious nervous system disorders.
Each of those patients had been using two or more tubes of denture adhesive per week for several years. Normally, a tube of denture adhesive should last from three to 10 weeks, but these patients used adhesive creams in amounts well above the recommended amount— a common practice when dentures are not a snug fit.
The zinc in the denture adhesives was absorbed through the gums or swallowed each time the patients ate or drank something, exposing them to an estimated 330 milligrams or more of zinc daily—far in excess of the recommended daily allowance of 8 milligrams for adult women and 11 milligrams for adult men.
The report in Neurology demonstrated that the use of denture creams with zinc could lead to zinc poisoning—a condition that can be deadly if not treated quickly. Excessive zinc in the system can cause hypocupremia—abnormally low levels of copper in the blood—and serious neurologic disease. Chronic copper deficiency has been linked to:
Anemia. Symptoms of anemia include weakness, fatigue, shortness of breath, pale skin and abnormal heartbeat.
Spastic, uncontrolled muscle contractions.
Loss of coordination or balance.
Neuropathy, or a disorder of the nervous system. Symptoms include burning, coldness, a “pins and needles” sensation, numbness and itching.
Neurology’s analysis found that just one gram of the denture creams they tested contained more than 17 milligrams of zinc, nearly half the scientifically established safe limit of 40 milligrams a day. The Food and Drug Administration does not require denture adhesive makers to put safety warnings on their labels, and the manufacturers have not done so on their own. That means consumers have no way of knowing they are being exposed to zinc levels that can permanently harm their health—or take their lives.
The experienced New York legal team at Schwartzapfel Partners P.C. has fought for thousands of people harmed by defective products like dental adhesives. If you’re a denture user and are suffering any of the signs of zinc poisoning, including paralysis, tingling in your hands and feet, or weakness and loss of balance, you need an advocate to fight for the compensation you deserve for your medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering and mental distress. Call us at (800) 966-4999 or fill out our online contact form for a free case evaluation. We will fight for you!
