Fixodent lawsuit claims cream could cause nerve damage

February 9, 2011

Denture creams could be causing paraylsis in some individuals. Image: Flickr / andrewdo / CC-BY

Fixodent cream is used to attach dentures to an individual’s gums. An ABC News investigation has led to a Fixodent lawsuit. The allegation is that Fixodent can lead to zinc poisoning and that the company knew and didn’t warn consumers.

Fixodent may cause nerve damage

In 2006, researchers at the University of Texas drew a connection between denture creams and zinc poisoning. Zinc poisoning can cause numbness, paralysis, muscle weakness and loss of sensation. The zinc in Fixodent sits against the gums, often all day every day. That means the zinc is absorbed into the bloodstream, hinders the absorption of copper and has other dangerous medical effects. The University of Texas researchers submitted the study for peer review and publishing, and nothing was heard about it for years.

Dr. Kenneth Shay named in Fixodent lawsuit

The lawsuit claiming Fixodent cream is dangerous names Dr. Kenneth Shay as partially at fault. Dr. Shay was given a copy of the study linking Fixodent and zinc poisoning in 2007. The doctor failed to reveal that he was a paid consultant for Procter & Gamble. Dr. Shay did not properly review and return the study, and he reportedly passed the unpublished study findings over to Procter & Gamble, the makers of Fixodent.

Warnings of zinc poisoning

Fixodent and Super Poly Grip are both denture creams that contain high levels of zinc. In 2008, when the study linking paralysis and denture cream was published, the makers did put a small warning on the box. The Fixodent lawsuit, however, claims that the company was aware of these risks long before the study was published and did not do nearly enough to protect customers or reformulate the product. The zinc in denture creams is dangerous usually only when used in large amounts.

Sources

NY Times
PubMed

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