Fixodent, Super PoliGrip Linked to Nerve Damage. Super PoliGrip, Fixodent and other denture creams have been associated with nerve damage and the development of neurological problems, according to a study published earlier this fall in the journal “NeuroToxicology.” The study, conducted by researchers at Vanderbilt University and the University of Michigan, involved 11 patients, all of […]
Fixodent, Super PoliGrip Linked to Nerve Damage. Super PoliGrip, Fixodent and other denture creams have been associated with nerve damage and the development of neurological problems, according to a study published earlier this fall in the journal “NeuroToxicology.” The study, conducted by researchers at Vanderbilt University and the University of Michigan, involved 11 patients, all of whom had a history of ill-fitting dentures, and used large amounts of products like Super PoliGrip and Fixodent, resulting in significant zinc exposure.
Super PoliGrip, Fixodent and other denture creams are made with zinc. A small amount of zinc is necessary for a balanced diet. However, being exposed to an excessive amount of zinc can result in copper depletion and serious negative adverse neurological effects.
The11 patients detailed in the “NeuroToxicology” article all had suffered from significant injuries and neurological disorders for a period of years. The study authors discovered that all 11 patients had used a zinc-containing denture cream, such as Fixodent or Super PoliGrip, to keep their dentures in place. Blood test confirmed that each suffered from zinc poisoning and copper deficiency.
After the 11 patients stopped using denture creams, their zinc and copper levels normalized. This led the study authors to conclude that: “Inappropriate use of denture cream appears to be the sole source of excessive zinc in these patient.” Sadly, even after they stopped using denture cream, the neurological condition of the 11 patients did not improve, and was seemingly irreversible.
This “NeuroToxicology” study is not the first to point to a link between products like Super PoliGrip and Fixodent, and neurological disorders.In August 2008, the peer reviewed journal “Neurology” reported on four patients suffering from neuropathy and other neurological symptoms typical of zinc poisoning and copper depletion. All of the patients had been using excessive amounts of denture cream for many years. It was determined that excess use of denture cream could have been responsible for their symptoms.
Over the past year or so, hundreds of victims of zinc-containing denture creams have filed suit against the makers of Super PoliGrip and Fixodent. These lawsuits allege that the manufacturers of these products failed to warn about their risks and failed to provide adequate warnings about the zinc in their products, or adequate instructions to prevent deviation from accepted use. Earlier this year, Super PoliGrip and Fixodent lawsuits were consolidated for centralized and coordinated pre-trial proceedings in the Denture Cream Products Liability Litigation in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division, before the Honorable Judge Cecilia Altonaga (MDL No. 2051).
The personal injury attorneys at Parker Waichman offer free, no-obligation case evaluations. For more information, fill out our online form or call 1-800-YOURLAWYER (1-800-968-7529).
