Fixodent Suits, Poligrip Suits Mount Over Denture Adhesive Problems from Zinc Poisoning
The number of people who have filed a Fixodent suit or Poligrip suit alleging neurological damage or other injuries caused by zinc poisoning continues to grow as more and more people make the connection between severe and disabling injuries and the denture adhesive problems.
Two weeks ago an article was published in the New York Times Magazine, highlighting the dilemma many doctors face when presented with patients who are suffering from neuropathy and other neurological injuries, which have no apparent cause. In that article, Dr. Bilal Ahmed spotted a tube of denture adhesive in his patient’s hospital room and discovered that she typically used several tubes a month instead of the recommended one per month, leading him to determine that high levels of zinc were entering her body from the denture cream.
While the human body needs low levels of zinc to function, high zinc levels in the body can cause copper depletion, known as hypocupremia, which is known to cause permanent neurological problems including neuropathy, myelopathy, anemia, bone marrow failure and other problems.
Last week, an article by the Associated Press described how similar denture cream problems were discovered by 61-year-old Ronald Beaver, who figured out that he was receiving too much zinc from using Poligrip denture cream to help keep his ill-fitting dentures in place.
There are currently hundreds of other people who have filed a lawsuit alleging that GlaxoSmithKline and Proctor & Gamble Co., which respectively make Poligrip and Fixodent, failed to adequately research their products or warn about the risk of neurological damage that may be caused from using too much of the denture adhesive cream.
According to the Associated Press report, there are at least 25 Fixodent and Poligrip suits currently pending in Federal Court, which have been consolidated for pretrial litigation as part of an MDL, or multidistrict litigation, in the Southern District of Florida. In addition, more claims are expected as denture adhesive attorneys continue to investigate potential cases for individuals who have experienced neurological problems.
The recommended daily allowance of zinc is 11 mg for men and 8 mg for women, with the maximum amount of zinc that can be safely tolerated being 40 mg per day. However, studies have established that users of Fixodent and PoliGrip may be exposed to levels as high as 330 mg per day, with many denture wearers using far more cream than is recommended.
Rather than warning about the problems and taking steps to ensure that only safe amounts are used, the manufacturers withheld the information and continued to reap the benefits of selling substantially more of their products than users needed or should have been consuming.
FIXODENT AND POLIGRIP ATTORNEYS
The Fixodent and Poligrip attorneys at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are reviewing potential claims for users throughout the United States who have experienced problems that may be caused by zinc poisoning, such as:
- Paralysis
- Numbness
- Loss of Sensation
- Tingling or Pain in Hands or Feet
- Muscle Weakness
- Loss of Balance
- Difficulty Walking
- Unexplained Pain or Weakness
For individuals who suspect that they may be experiencing problems, it is critical that a blood or urine test be obtained to test for elevated zinc levels and depleted copper levels as soon as possible. The use of Fixodent and Poligrip results in increased amounts of zinc and reduced copper levels, which can cause permanent neurological damage. However, once use of the products are stopped, the copper and zinc levels may return to normal, even though the neurological damage remains.
If you, a friend or family member have experienced problems with denture adhesive creams that contain zinc, request a free consultation and claim evaluation.
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