Product Liability Law
Mass Tort Case Contends Denture Cream Can Be Dangerous
Posted Sep 18, 2009, 03:40 pm CST
By Martha Neil
Complaints by 25 individuals from at least 11 states that their denture cream is unduly dangerous are being consolidated into a mass tort case before a federal judge in Miami.
The plaintiffs contend that the zinc-containing false tooth adhesive is defective, that they weren't adequately warned of the risks that it presented and that corrective steps should have been taken but weren't, reports the Associated Press. The defendant companies that sold the denture cream say it is safe to use as directed.
The case revolves around the theory that excessive levels of zinc in the denture cream strip the body of copper, creating health problems. Apparently struggling to deal with loose-fitting dentures, at least some of the plaintiffs may frequently have used dollops of denture cream rather than the occasional dabs that are recommended, according to the news agency.
"When the product is used as directed, the amount of zinc that might be swallowed is small and is not harmful," a GlaxoSmithKline spokeswoman tells the AP. "Consumers should not use denture adhesive to compensate for a poorly fitting denture."