Denture Cream Neuropathy

The risk of zinc poisoning prompted GlaxoSmithKline to announce it would voluntarily stop manufacturing, marketing and advertising three zinc-containing Super PoliGrip denture cream products on February 18, 2010. The products affected by this announcement are: Super PoliGrip ‘Original’, ‘Ultra Fresh’ and ‘Extra Care’.

GSK said it is currently in the process of reformulating Super PoliGrip ‘Original’, Super PoliGrip ‘Ultra Fresh’ and Super PoliGrip ‘Extra Care’ to non-zinc formulations. The new versions have been available since April 2010. …

If you wear dentures and have experienced numbness, tingling or pain in your legs and arms, you might be suffering from denture cream neuropathy. This type of neuropathy has been seen in people who have been exposed to excessive amounts of zinc-containing denture cream. The denture cream neuropathy lawyers at our firm are currently offering free consultations to people who have been poisoned by the zinc in these products.

More than 35 million Americans use denture creams, such as Poligrip and Fixodent, to keep their dentures in place. If you are one of them, you might be surprised that doing so could be putting you at risk of developing serious health problems. That’s because – despite repeated pleas from consumer advocacy groups – the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) does not require manufacturers to warn denture cream users about the potential dangers of these products. …

The zinc in denture creams is the reason products such as Super Poligrip and Fixodent can be so damaging to your health. Exposure to excessive amounts of zinc can cause the levels of copper in your body to drop. If not corrected, copper deficiency will cause symptoms of neuropathy, a nerve disorder that can be severely disabling. Without intervention, zinc poisoning can even lead to death.

In August 2008, the journal “Neurology” reported on four patients suffering from neuropathy and other neurological symptoms typical of zinc poisoning and copper deficiency. It was determined that excess use of dental creams could have been responsible for their symptoms. The article noted that one tube of denture cream should last 3 to 10 weeks,  but patients in the report were all using at least two tubes a week. Three had also lost their teeth at a relatively young age, meaning they had  used “extremely large amounts of denture adhesive daily for years.” …

Studies have shown that zinc copper deficiency can cause the myelin sheath that covers the nerve cells to deteriorate. This would explain the neurological problems, such as neuropathy, that can occur because of zinc copper deficiency.

Many doctors are not aware that denture creams can cause zinc copper depletion and neuropathy. Because of this, a patient exhibiting numbness or tingling in the extremities; muscle weakness, muscle spasms, or difficulty in moving; or any other of the problems typical of denture cream neuropathy may not be correctly diagnosed.

Our denture cream neuropathy lawyers are aware of several instances where people suffering from zinc copper deficiency were misdiagnosed with other disorders that involve destruction of the myelin sheath. Some of the demyelinating diseases most often misdiagnosed in patients with denture cream neuropathy include: …

Despite the ever-growing body of evidence showing that the excess zinc in denture cream is causing denture cream neuropathy, the makers of these products still refuse to provide warnings about their dangers. As a result, millions of denture cream users have put their health at risk without even realizing it. The denture cream neuropathy lawyers at our firm are committed to holding these companies accountable for their negligence.

If you or someone you love suffers from neuropathy that could be tied to the use of denture creams, you have valuable legal rights. Please fill out our online form or call 1-800 LAW INFO (1-800-529-4636) as soon as possible to discuss your case with one of our denture cream neuropathy lawyers.