Dental Health Care

Serious nerve damage – even neuropathy – have been associated with the excessive use of  Fixodent denture cream.  Dozens of people have filed lawsuits alleging that the zinc in Fixodent caused them to suffer serious and debilitating injuries.  Scientific evidence backing up these allegations has also started to emerge.

Fixodent and other denture cream lawsuits claim these products contain a form of zinc, which is bonded to an unknown formulation. A small amount of zinc is necessary for a balanced diet. However, being exposed to an excessive amount of zinc can result in copper depletion and serious negative adverse neurological effects. The lawsuits further allege that Proctor & Gamble and other defendants failed to warn about their products’ risks and failed to provide adequate warnings about the zinc in their products, or adequate instructions to prevent deviation from accepted use.

Evidence of a connection between the zinc in products like Fixodent and the onset of neurological disorders, such as neuropathy, continues to mount. In August 2008, the peer reviewed journal “Neurology” reported on four patients suffering from neuropathy and other neurological symptoms typical of zinc poisoning and copper depletion. All of the patients had been using excessive amounts of denture cream for many years. It was determined that excess use of denture cream could have been responsible for their symptoms.

In October 2009, the journal “NeuroToxicology” published an article on 11 patients who had suffered from significant injuries and neurological disorders for a period of years. The study authors discovered that all 11 patients had used Fixodent or another zinc-containing denture cream. Blood test confirmed that each suffered from zinc poisoning and copper deficiency.

After the 11 patients stopped using Fixodent and the other creams, their zinc and copper levels normalized. However, their neurological condition did not improve, and was seemingly irreversible. The authors of the “NeuroToxicology” article concluded that: “It appears the (11 patients’) disease is fully explained by denture cream use.”

Because the link between neurological disorders and Fixodent is not always recognized, the disorder is often misdiagnosed. This is especially true when the symptoms occur in elderly people, as they are also typical of many other diseases associated with old age. They are also very similar to other neurological disorders, such as Multiple Sclerosis.

The symptoms of Fixodent zinc poisoning include:

• numbness or tingling in the feet, legs, hands, and/or arms;
• a reduction in strength or ability to move legs or feet, or arms and hands;
• unexplained pain in the extremities;
• a tendency to stumble or fall down; instability and lack of balance;
• change or decrease in walking stride;
• abnormal blood pressure and heart rate;
• reduced ability to perspire;
• constipation and/or bladder dysfunction;
• sexual dysfunction.

The many lawsuits that have been filed against the makers of Fixodent and other zinc-containing denture adhesives have been consolidated in The Denture Cream Products Liability Litigation that is being presided over by the Honorable Judge Cecilia Altonaga in U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, Miami Division (MDL 2051). An MDL allows all cases to be coordinated under one judge for pretrial litigation to avoid duplicative discovery, inconsistent rulings and to conserve the resources of the parties, witnesses and the court.  If the MDL process does not resolve the cases, they are transferred back to the court where they originated for trial.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/dental-care-articles/fixodent-lawsuits-blame-excessive-use-for-nerve-damage-1490472.html

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December 28th, 2009 | Category: Dental Health Care | Comments Off
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