Denture Cream Zinc Poisoning Side Effects Lawsuit News

Lawsuits claim two denture creams are making people ill

-Plain Dealer

03/16/2010 - Go through life and you can't help but worry about your health -- about prescription drugs and their side effects, about finding a lump, about an aneurysm doing you in.

But your denture cream crippling you?

Add that to the list.

Hundreds of people across the United States have developed serious health problems that researchers have tied to zinc in denture adhesives. It's important to note that the problems surfaced after what has been called long-term, excessive use -- two or more tubes a week for years.

But this isn't just Grandpa's problem.

Those who've gotten sick have been as young as 26. Many are in their 40s and 50s. Their arms have gone numb, they've become incontinent, their legs have weakened so badly they need walkers and wheelchairs to get around.

"These are people who are very seriously hurt," says a Houston attorney suing two major denture-cream makers on behalf of people who've gotten sick. "A number of them can't work anymore. They need help around the house. It's dramatically affecting their lives."

The most severe example he's seen, he says, involved a 63-year-old man who used large amounts of denture cream for 14 years. He went from a cane to a walker to a wheelchair in three months' time. He went on to lose all feeling below his waist and control of his bowels before he died in 2008.

"From talking to other lawyers who have these cases, I believe that there are at least 300 to 500 cases and probably more across the country," he says. "And I suspect that this is really the tip of the iceberg."

The lawsuits have been filed against GlaxoSmithKline, the maker of Super Poligrip, and Procter & Gamble, the Cincinnati-based manufacturer of Fixodent. Both brands of denture cream, research shows, contain zinc.

You have to pay close attention to know which denture adhesives to worry about. Tubes of Super Poligrip Free, for example, do not contain zinc, but tubes of Fixodent Free do, according to company representatives. Fixodent also contains smaller amounts of zinc than Poligrip. Still some users say their health has suffered from using it.

And just last month, Glaxo

SmithKline announced that all versions of Super Poligrip will be zinc free. Packages will be clearly labeled, and the new products should be in stores by late April, according to a company spokeswoman.

GlaxoSmithKline also released a statement that warns consumers about potential health risks associated with the overuse of zinc-containing denture adhesives.

"We are taking these actions because we have become aware of potential health problems associated with the long-term excessive use of our zinc-containing denture adhesive products," the statement says. "However, it is important for consumers to know that these products remain safe to use as directed on the product label."

Spokeswomen for both companies said they can not comment on pending legal action.

But researchers say people who have developed complications used a lot of the cream over a lengthy period of time, usually because their dentures didn't fit well.

Blizzard, however, cautions against blaming consumers.

"They weren't told that zinc was in it, much less that you could use too much of it," he says. "It would be like someone secretly poisoning your food and then when you died saying, 'Well you ate too much of it.' "

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers denture cream a "medical device" and doesn't require companies to list its ingredients.

Denture cream has been around for decades. So why are problems just surfacing now?

According to Blizzard, manufacturers didn't add zinc to their products until the 1990s. It took years before patients developed health problems. Even more years passed before doctors connected those problems to denture cream.

The complications come from the zinc, which in large quantities prevents the body from absorbing copper, says Dr. Peter Hedera, a neurologist at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., who has published research on denture cream and its link to nerve, spinal cord and other damage.

(The small amounts of zinc found in other over-the-counter products, like cold remedies and vitamin supplements, shouldn't be a worry unless you use excessive amounts for long periods of time, Hedera says.)

Without copper, our nerves don't function properly, which can lead to neuropathy -- with symptoms that include numbness, weakness and problems with coordination and balance.

Lillian Steele of Toledo knows exactly what Hedera is talking about. The 51-year-old homemaker says she developed neuropathy about four years after she began using Fixodent. First, her feet turned cold. Then her legs began to feel as if electricity was running up them. Eventually, she lost feeling in her legs.

"I fall every day," Steele says. "I know it's going to put me in a wheelchair, it's getting to that point. It's scary. Nobody should have to live like this."

When Steele heard about denture-cream problems, she asked her doctor to test her zinc level. It turned out to be high.

But many patients still have no idea about the health complications caused by denture cream.

The connection between the two gained public attention in 2008 with the publication of a journal article on the subject.

Since then, word has spread -- but not everywhere. There are still doctors and dentists who are unaware, Blizzard says. As a result, many patients undergo tests and treatment for other illnesses, including cancer, before they get an accurate diagnosis.

Blizzard says he's hoping the lawsuits will do more than help those who've been harmed.

"I really do want to see, first, that the people who have been crippled by denture cream be compensated for the horrible injuries they've suffered," he says.

"But second, I want more awareness that consumer products need to list all their ingredients so people know what they're being exposed to.

"People need to be warned that excessive zinc can be harmful."

Avoiding problems linked to denture cream

Proper fit: Make sure your dentures fit properly so you don't need large amounts of denture adhesive. If they don't fit well, see your dentist.

Avoid zinc: Find a cream that does not contain zinc. One zinc-free brand, called Secure, can be purchased online. Tubes of Super Poligrip Free do not contain zinc either, according to a company spokeswoman. Other types of Poligrip denture adhesives -- powders and seal strips -- also are free of zinc, according to the manufacturer.

See your doctor: If you have tingling in your feet or hands or experience weakness or a loss of balance, contact your physician. If you've been using large amounts of denture cream, let your doctor know. A simple blood test can determine if your zinc level is high and your copper level low, signs that denture adhesive could be causing the trouble. Some problems can be corrected, if caught early enough.

More Denture Cream News>>>