Yet Another Fixodent Denture Cream Zinc Lawsuit

Dallas, TXFixodent denture adhesive and the inherent problems pertaining to Fixodent zinc poisoning has formed the basis of a lawsuit involving a Texas woman now suffering from neuropathy and denture cream zinc poisoning following long-term use of Fixodent denture cream.

This latest lawsuit was filed against Fixodent manufacturer Procter & Gamble on behalf of Barbara Ann Floyd, a 48-year-old woman from Texas who began using Fixodent several years ago, according to the October 28 issue of Business Wire. Ms. Floyd was subsequently diagnosed with neuropathy, a condition caused by the presence of excessive zinc in the body, in concert with a depletion of copper.

Copper and zinc are integral to good health, although an over abundance of one in tandem with a depletion of the other can have serious health effects. While it is generally believed that levels of zinc found in denture adhesive are safe when used as directed (very sparingly), the habit of many denture wearers to use copious amounts of denture adhesive to compensate for loose or poor-fitting dentures has resulted in dangerously high levels of zinc in the human body. The corresponding reduction of copper can often lead to neuropathy.

Floyd, according to her lawsuit, now suffers from profound and permanent neurological injuries that have left her unable to function. The complaint alleges that Proctor & Gamble misled consumers about the risk inherent with Fixodent and that the manufacturer failed to provide adequate warnings about the zinc in Fixodent, or adequate instruction to prevent deviation from the accepted use.

In August of last year, the peer-reviewed journal Neurology concluded that chronic, excessive use of zinc-containing denture creams could result in copper depletion and serious neurological disease.

Dozens of lawsuits have been consolidated for pre-trial proceedings before the Honorable Judge Cecilia Altonaga in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division.

It has been reported previously that there is no requirement on the part of denture cream manufacturers to state the levels of zinc contained in their product. That's no help to people like Richard Lee Van Der Voort, who commented to News Inferno back in April:

"I am an American ex-pat living in the Philippines. Age 73. I have been a heavy user of Fixodent products since it came on the market. I have the exact symptoms I looked up on the Internet of neuropathy. I thought it was due only to my worn-out left hip. I suffer near-constant pain and use Tramadol and Ibuprophen, but it only takes the edge off at best."