Denture Cream Zinc Poisoning

Baltimore, Maryland

Due to recent studies linking denture cream adhesives to zinc poisoning, GlaxoSmithKline issued a recall and stopped manufacturing three zinc-containing Super Poligrip brands (Original, Ultra Fresh, and Extra Care) in February of this year. Zinc poisoning has also been linked to Fixodent denture adhesive, but Proctor & Gamble has so far refused to pull the product from the market.

While these denture creams are not shown to be harmful when used in the recommended amounts, overuse of denture creams is common and consumers were not warned of the danger of zinc poisoning. Because the manufacturers failed to adequately warn consumers of potential zinc poisoning, many victims have filed defective product lawsuits against them.

Overuse of Denture Adhesives

Though these defective denture creams are safe in small amounts, instructions on how much to use are sometimes printed in a font size too small for many seniors to read properly. In addition, the manufacturers did not make it clear that their denture adhesives contained zinc in significant amounts or warn against overuse. Poorly fitting dentures are another contributing factor because many consumers adjust for the poor fit by using excess amounts of denture adhesive.

Clearly, the manufacturers of Super Poligrip and Fixodent have failed in their duty to warn consumers against overuse of their zinc-containing denture adhesives. They have sometimes even refused to admit how much zinc their products contained. Therefore, the Maryland defective product lawyers of The Yost Legal Group are ready to help hold these large corporations accountable to victims of denture cream zinc poisoning.

Zinc Poisoning Symptoms

Zinc is a vital mineral that our bodies need to function properly. However, excess levels of zinc interfere with the body’s ability to process and absorb copper, leading to copper deficiency. Copper is crucial to the health of the nervous system, and copper deficiency can cause severe dysfunction in movement along with other neurological problems, such as:

• Spastic movements
• Ataxia (motor control failure)
• Neuropathy (nervous system damage)
• Leg numbness or feeling of heaviness
• “Glove and stocking” sensation (feeling gloves or stockings when hands/feet are bare)

Inform your physician if you experience one or more of these symptoms, and let him or her know if you have used defective denture adhesives like Super Poligrip or Fixodent. If your doctor diagnoses you with zinc poisoning, our Baltimore personal injury lawyers are ready to help you file a defective product lawsuit.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with zinc poisoning after using defective denture adhesives, please contact the Baltimore defective product lawyers of The Yost Legal Group to schedule a consultation.