Two More Lawsuits Alleging Denture Cream Zinc Poisoning

August 8, 2010, 11:00AM. By Gordon Gibb

Sanford, NCThe lawsuits alleging Fixodent zinc poisoning faced by Fixodent manufacturer Procter & Gamble in the centralized pre-trial proceedings in the Denture Cream Products Liability Litigation, are now two. Faye G. Hobson, 45, of Sanford North Carolina, and Barbara Sue Mendenhall, 58, of Genevieve, Missouri allege that Fixodent denture adhesive is the cause of profound and permanent neurological injuries.

According to a June report in Law and Health Weekly, the two women had routinely used Fixodent denture adhesive to keep their dentures in place. However they were soon diagnosed with copper deficient neuropathy, which has been attributed to their use of Fixodent denture adhesive containing zinc.

It should be noted that while the presence of zinc is important to maintain good health, an overabundance of zinc could serve to deplete levels of copper in the body—knocking the requisite balance of zinc and copper from its axis and triggering various neurological and physiological concerns.

In recent years zinc has become a preferred ingredient in denture adhesive, necessary for adhesion. Adhering to application instructions recommended by the manufacturer and the amounts therein, zinc is considered safe.

However, it has been found in the real world of denture use that denture wearers tend to use far more denture cream than required—especially to offset ill-fitting dentures, which is a common occurrence.

Critics of denture cream manufacturers have decried the lack of safety information on product labels warning of zinc poisoning if denture cream containing zinc is used in excessive amounts that could lead to denture adhesive zinc poisoning.

The lawsuits filed by Hobson and Mendenhall allege that Fixodent contains a form of zinc that is bonded to an unknown formulation. The complaint further alleges that Procter & Gamble failed to warn about the product's risks and failed to provide adequate warnings about the zinc in Fixodent, or adequate instructions to prevent deviation from accepted use. According to their lawsuit, had Procter & Gamble properly disclosed the risks associated with Fixodent, the plaintiffs would never have used Fixodent denture cream.

Lawsuits have been consolidated for pre-trail proceedings before the Honorable Judge Cecilia Altonaga in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division. The lawsuits allege that due to their use of Fixodent and their ensuing affliction with denture cream zinc poisoning, the plaintiffs have been left unable to perform their normal, customary, and daily activities and are in a bad way.