The consumer advocacy website, www.ConsumerInjuryLawyers.com, which is sponsored by Bernstein Liebhard LLP, provides consumers with information about alleged safety issues and litigation surrounding consumer products. One of the issues covered on the site is zinc in denture cream. According to a number of lawsuits filed, using significant amounts of denture cream can allegedly cause zinc poisoning, which can result in copper deficiency, hematological (blood) disorders and neurological disorders. The alleged link between denture cream and these conditions was initially reported in the medical literature in Neurology in June 2008 in an article entitled “Denture Cream: An unusual source of excess zinc, leading to hypocupremia and neurologic disease”. You can read more about some of the findings from the article on the ConsumerInjuryLawyers website.
All of the known denture cream lawsuits filed to date are against the manufacturers (and related companies) that produce Super Poligrip and Fixodent denture creams. Super Poligrip lists zinc as an ingredient in the denture cream but until recently, Fixodent did not list its ingredients on its packaging. The lawsuits allege that the packaging for these products fails to warn consumers that using significant amounts of denture cream could result in zinc poisoning, copper deficiency or neuropathy.
Reports of denture cream causing zinc poisoning can be traced back to at least 2005. In the FDA Maude Reporting database, for example an event description for a report regarding “Polygrip,” states, inter alia:
occurrence of heavy metal poisoning in a pt who used poligrip for dentures…experienced heavy metal (zinc) poisoning and neurologic insult as a result of absorption and ingestion of poligrip. This case was assessed as medically serious by gsk. In 1998 the pt started use of poligrip (dental) initially at one to two tubes per week, then increasing to five to six tubes weekly. In 2003 the pt began experiencing positive lhermitte's sign that went down his spine and numbness of his feet, and he felt he had a herniated disc. He was found to have 2+ reflexes at that time with a profound decrease in vibratory sensation in his lower extremities. Electrodiagnositc studies of the lower extremities on 01/03/04 showed changes consistent with a mild demyelinating neuropathy. Conduction velocity was diminished in the 30s, and imaging studies were unremarkable except for some mild degenerative spondylotic changes in the neck and a disc extrusion at the c4-c5 level. Mri showed decreased height space, evidence of a hemilaminectomy, disc protrusion at l4-l5 measuring 4 to 5 mm, and tears at t8 and t9. He was found to have a rising monocytosis, which his hematologist felt could indicate a possible bone narrow failure. In the summer of 2003, the pt began experiencing numbness, tingling, and cold sensations of the lower extremities. On 01/26/2004, the pt was found to have a sed rate of 20 and ferritin of 181, and it was felt that he had anemia and leukpenia of unknown etiology. The pt was started on gabapentin (neurontin). Mri on 03/20904 showed 40% cellularity with a shift to the left. A "bone marrow specialist" felt the pt was having early bone marrow failure, and he discovered that the pt's zinc level was elevated. The pt was referred to a neurologist at a local university, who felt the pt had myeloneuropathy associated with zinc toxicity and started him on iv cupric sulfate and amitriptyline. The physician felt the pt's use of poligrip with his poorly fitted dentures was the source of his zinc toxicity. The pt's blood counts improved, but he continued to have paresthesias of his feet and toes, trouble bending his legs, and muscle cramps. The physician's impression was that the pt had "demyelinating neuropathy secondary to zinc oxide" and "history of anemia and leucopenia secondary to zinc toxicity. " the physician also stated that the pt used excessive amounts of poligrip denture adhesive, up to a tube a day, due to poorly fitting dentures.
(Source: FDA Maude Report Database - search "Polygrip")
Consumers who use denture cream and suffer from zinc poisoning may be entitled to file a denture cream lawsuit seeking compensation for any injuries that result from zinc poisoning and corresponding copper deficiency. Denture cream lawsuits seek recovery for physical injury, pain, suffering, lost compensation and medical expenses. Loved ones whose dependents are injured by denture cream zinc poisoning may be entitled to file a loss of consortium claim, depending on the laws of the particular state.
If you or a loved one would like to speak to a denture cream lawyer about a Fixodent lawsuit or Poligrip lawsuit who is actively representing clients, contact at Bernstein Liebhard LLP at (877) 779-1414 or info@consumerinjurylawyers.com. While based in
If you are an attorney or law firm who has been retained to represent denture cream users or is reviewing potential denture cream user lawsuits, we are accepting case referrals and would be happy to discuss your potential cases with you.
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