Denture Cream Poisoning: "People Having a Hard Time With This"

May 31, 2010, 1:00PM. By Heidi Turner

San Bernardino, CAChristine says she has used Fixodent denture adhesive for many years and never thought about the risk of Fixodent zinc poisoning. Although she suffered many symptoms of denture adhesive zinc poisoning, it was not until she read about it on the Internet that she realized she might have problems related to her use of Fixodent.

"I've had dentures since I was 35," Christine says. "I didn't have any trouble with it until 2004 or 2005, when I started having dizzy spells. Then, I had blackouts and numbness in my arms and tingling in my legs. I still have those problems, especially in my hands. I also have headaches.

"The doctors did a test and said I have neuropathy. They still can't figure out why. I've had seizures for a long time, but I've never had seizures in my sleep. The doctors did a sleep test and EEG and told me that I have seizures at night and they don't know why [seizures are a symptom of zinc poisoning]. They also said that I have brain damage on my front right and left lobes, but they can't explain it. They just told me, 'It's one of those things.'

"The doctors told me I should have someone check on me periodically because I could die in my sleep from these seizures. That's not normal. Sometimes, I'm scared to go to sleep because of this.

"I saw your website and said to myself, 'Oh my God, I'm having these exact symptoms and nobody knows why I'm having them.'

"My dentures are broken. I have to glue them every four to six months because I can't afford a dentist out-of-pocket. I use a lot of denture cream each day so the dentures will fit. I think I go through about six or seven tubes a month. I use Fixodent. I tried Poligrip, but it didn't hold as long as Fixodent.

"I've had these symptoms [of neuropathy] since about 2004 and they've worsened over time. I haven't stopped using the denture cream because I don't know what to do without it. I don't have a choice. I put a lot of denture cream on, but that's the only way to keep the dentures in.

"I think there must be a link between the denture cream and the symptoms. Especially if you use a lot like many people are doing. There are a lot of people having a hard time with this and there's a stigma about it being poor people."