The story begins when a healthy 63-year-old Miami man began having trouble walking. Within months, he was paralyzed below the waist and confined to a wheelchair. He was unable to move his limbs and, eventually, unable to get out of bed. His condition worsened and his paralysis extended to his diaphragm, which ultimately led to his death. What led to his symptoms and eventual death? ……his denture adhesive, Poligrip.
Just months after his death, a groundbreaking study published in the medical journal Neurology established a connection between the zinc found in popular denture adhesives brands and serious nerve damage. The study showed that patients who used heavy amounts of denture cream suffered zinc overload, which can purge the body of copper, a mineral needed for healthy brain and nervous system function. Copper deficiency can cause anemia, weakness, numbness in the limbs, difficulty walking and permanent paralysis.
Although the body requires small amounts of zinc to fight illnesses and promote cell growth, some denture-wearers were unknowingly consuming nearly forty-five times or more of the recommended daily dosage. The National Institutes of Health recommend between 8-11 milligrams of zinc per day. Poligrip contains 38 milligrams of zinc per gram of the adhesive. Unbeknownst to him, the man who died had been consuming these dangerously high levels of zinc for over 14 years.
And with no warning on the packaging, he had no way of knowing how much zinc he was ingesting. He was simply trying to keep his dentures secure so he could chew his food and look good.
This all happened back in 2008. At the time, facing over a hundred lawsuits over its failure to warn consumers of the risks associated with its products, GlaxoSmithKline announced in early 2009 that it would voluntarily remove zinc from its adhesives. The company cited “potential health risks associated with long-term excessive use” and announced plans to release reformulated denture creams by April or May of 2009.
This was a promising sign that the company was finally taking responsibility for the safety of its consumers. But for many denture wearers, the damage has already been done. Forty million Americans wear dentures and removing zinc from denture cream will hopefully prevent debilitating, and potentially fatal, medical problems in the future.
Well, this is back in the news again. The reports are that there is an association between the excessive zinc and health concerns which date back to 2006. Documents were written and went to reviewers before they were published. One of the reviewers apparently delayed the publication by saying, “much of the information is irrelevant…..little more than speculation”.
That delayed getting information to doctors and the public. As it turns out, this reviewer was found to be a paid consultant for Proctor & Gamble, makers of the popular denture adhesive Fixodent.
Zinc has been taken out of Poligrip but not out of Fixodent. Proctor & Gamble says that used as directed, there is no evidence of ill-effects from their product.
For most people, if an upper denture is made correctly and is relined when it should be, there is no need for adhesive. Lower dentures are a different story. A couple of implants or mini-implants and the problem is solved – no need for denture adhesive.