More than 100 plaintiffs recently filed a class action lawsuit against Proctor & Gamble, the manufacturers of Fixodent denture cream. Allegedly, the product causes serious, irreversible neurological damage to users.
The damage is supposedly linked to the zinc in the denture cream. High zinc levels interfere with the body's ability to process copper, which helps to maintain healthy nerve cells. Zinc poisoning has been associated with demylination, or damage to the myelin sheath, which is the protective coating that surrounds nerve cells.
Dr. Sharon Nations published a study in the medical journal Neurology examining the link between denture cream use and neurological illnesses. Her results reveal that patients who used large quantities of denture cream had very high zinc levels in their blood.
In 2009, Proctore & Gamble added a warning label to the Fixodent packaging warning that "prolonged zinc intake may be linked to adverse health effects."
However, the company has defended its product against the allegations of irreversible neurological damage. In a statement to ABC News they claimed that Fixodent has undergone extensive testing and indicate the product is safe for consumer use.
However, ABC News recently reported a story about a Fixodent user who was diagnosed with zinc poisoning after experiencing numbness in her limbs. She is now confined to a wheelchair and is one of the plaintiffs in the mass suit against Proctor & Gamble.
The Food and Drug Administration has received more than 360 adverse health reports linked to the use of Fixodent. Side effects of zinc poisoning include pain or weakening of limbs and extremities, poor coordination and movement problems.
Fixodent, unfortunately, is not the only denture cream that contains zinc. GlaxoSmithKline -the manufacturers of Super Poligrip denture cream-have been named in other lawsuits complaining of nerve damage caused by their product. In June 2010 the company announced that they would be removing zinc from their products in the U.S..
If you have used Fixodent or another zinc-containing denture cream and have suffered any of these side effects, contact a physician and personal injury attorney immediately.
