WARNING! Using 2 or more tubes of denture adhesive per week is hazardous to your health!

“My denture adhesive put me in a wheelchair!” “I can’t walk, I can’t drive.”

These were the headlines from news stories where two long-time denture wearers developed severe neurological problems due to their overuse of zinc-containing denture adhesive cream.

According to a 2008 study, which was conducted at the University of Texas SW Medical Center in Dallas, the patients’ hyper-zincemia was caused by excessive zinc intake through use of denture creams.

The danger is in the amount used

The study noted that while one tube of denture cream should last 3 to 10 weeks, patients in the study were all using at least two tubes of denture cream a week.

Although zinc is an essential mineral for cell function, it can be harmful in high doses because it inhibits the absorption of other minerals. As a result, people who ingest too much zinc develop copper and iron deficiencies that can lead to severe numbness and weakness from nerve damage.

Nerve damage from zinc toxicity can be life-altering.

Symptoms include: abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, anemia, and dizziness. Full blown neuropathy can include disabilities like those reported in the 2010 headlines shown above.

“Its’ a pretty rare problem”

So said Dr. Michael Cartwright, an assistant professor of neurology at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine who has treated patients with the suspected link, “There are many, many people who use denture cream who don’t develop any kind of neurological disease.”

“We don’t know why it happens in some people – if they’re using large amounts (of denture cream), or if they have some other predisposition to copper deficiency.”

But denture adhesive can help.

Denture creams are clinically proven to seal out food that cause irritation and pain; help prevent gum irritation; improve comfort, and confidence; and improve stability, retention, and bite forces.

ProDentures^® folk should be safe.

But your friends and family with loose dentures may be at risk!

Your new denture(s) should be very close fitting and not need more than a dab of adhesive, if any.

But you probably know someone who is making do with an old loose denture - - using risky gobs of denture cream.

If their denture cream is a zinc-containing product, they may be in danger. Please tell them ASAP!

Old, loose plates are paid for, but may not be safe. Not if filled up daily with nerve-killing goo!