An August 2008 report of the journal “Neurology” illustrated the cases of four individuals who suffered from neuropathy and symptoms of zinc poisoning and copper deficiency. The study identified that the excess use of dental creams as the cause for zinc poisoning. The researchers were from Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas and they found these four individuals had used at least two tubes of denture cream a week, where the normal usage should be a tube of cream for three to ten weeks. The individuals were found to have zinc concentrations in their bloodstream between 17,000 and 34,000 micrograms. The daily-recommended allowance for zinc is 8 mg for women and 11 mg for men. The largest tolerable zinc intake, according to the National Academy of Sciences in 2001, was set at 40 mg.
Most of these dental creams in the market name contain zinc. These creams have brand names such as Fixodent or Poligrip. Most users do not even know that these creams have a potentially harmful ingredient. Zinc though is a naturally occurring element that in small amounts are important for an individual’s overall health. The problem though is that zinc in these creams is in large amounts, resulting in ten times the allowed amount resulting in zinc poisoning.
In America alone, there are over 35 million individuals wear dentures. A vast majority of these denture wearers are elderly. Clearly, the absence of warning labels on these creams as to their content has become a major public health issues. Despite calls for increased manufacturer warnings to the danger of zinc poisoning through the use of denture creams, these remain unheeded.
The symptoms for zinc poisoning include unexplained weakness, numbness, loss of sensation and other neurological problems. Other symptoms include numbness or tingling of the feet, legs, hands and/or arms. Some others experience difficulty in the use of legs of feet and an accompanying pain of the limbs. This numbness can lead to accidents such as tripping over or lack of balance. A simple blood test can determine the zinc levels an individual has and find if hyperzincemia is the cause for the illnesses.
These medical issues are easily preventable. If the source for the excess zinc is the use of dental cream, then stopping the use is paramount. Now, the failure of manufacturers to indicate in stronger language and packaging the dangers of zinc poisoning has resulted in many injuries as well as high medical bills.
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