Generic name
• Dental adhesive
Date approved
• Zinc products don’t need approval
Manufacturer
• GlaxoSmithKline
Status
• On the market
Serious side effects
• Zinc poisoning (hyperglycemia)
• Copper depletion or copper deficiency (hypocupremia)
• Neuropathy
• Nerve damage
• Other neurological side effects
What is Poligrip Denture Cream?
It is a denture adhesive manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline.
Who uses it, and for what condition?
More than 35 million Americans use denture cream to affix dentures in their mouths.
How does denture cream work?
It holds dentures in place.
Fixodent, Poligrip, Super Poligrip and other denture creams contain zinc and have recently been linked to several serious, and potentially life-threatening, side effects:
- Zinc poisoning (hyperglycemia)
- Copper depletion or copper deficiency (hypocupremia)
- Neuropathy
- Other neurological side effects
Denture wearers often use too much denture cream and may even take zinc supplements, leading to excessive zinc in the system.
Zinc poisoning symptoms mimic other neurological diseases, such as Multiple Sclerosis, and other disorders common in the elderly. Early treatment is the only way to reverse the damage, and waiting too long could eventually lead to permanent disability.
What can you do?
If you have used zinc-containing denture cream and experienced any of the following symptoms, contact your doctor immediately:
- Numbness or tingling in the extremities
- Loss of strength or ability to move the extremities
- Unexplained pain in the hands, feet, arms, or legs
- Persistent falling or stumbling
- Lack of balance
- Altered gait
- Abnormal blood pressure and heart rate
- Decreased ability to sweat
- Bowel and bladder dysfunction
If you use denture cream excessively, you should ask your doctor to test your blood for zinc and copper levels. You also should have your dentures refitted so that you require less adhesive.
If you or someone you love uses or have used Poligrip or another zinc-containing denture cream, and now suffer from neurological problems, please call our toll-free number 1-888-341-1405 to discuss your case with one of our personal injury lawyers.
Trust our Massachusetts products liability attorneys to help
Contact the Boston law firm of Thornton Law Firm LLP online or at 1-888-341-1405 for a free consultation with a recognized leader in Massachusetts defective medical device litigation. You have nothing to risk. We offer a fair and accurate assessment of your case.
