A class action lawsuit has been filed against Procter & Gamble, makers of Fixodent, alleging that the company failed to warn consumers sufficiently about the zinc contained in their denture cream.

According to attorneys, the adhesive contains high levels of zinc which has poisoned the users causing them serious nerve damage.

Fixodent is widely used by millions of people in the United States in order to keep their dentures secure in place.

Many users are completely oblivious of the fact that their denture cream contains zinc or that excessive use of the product can leave them with severe and debilitating neurological damage such as neuropathy, numbness, tingling, pain, loss of sensation, loss of balance, paralysis, and breathing difficulties.

Two customers involved in the lawsuit
Lead plaintiff Mark Jacoby, a 41-year-old construction worker who has worn dentures for 20 years gradually started losing balance, became unsteady and was eventually confined to the wheel chair.

His doctors tied his debilitating neurological illness to the high levels of the zinc found in his body which came from his denture cream, Fixodent.

"I started getting tingling in my fingertips. And then it started happening in my toes," said Mark Jacoby. "I started getting weaker and, you know, I couldn't walk right, off balance and I'm at this point now."

He added, "I can almost guarantee you it was the Fixodent. It's soaked into your body and it messes with the nerves."

Another client, Anne Coffman, 48, is suffering from drowsiness, tingling in the arms and legs and burning sensations. She also has problem maintaining her balance.

According to the doctors, all her symptoms are linked to neuropathy, a nerve disorder that affects the entire central nervous system that has been linked to excessive use of denture cream.

Coffman now uses a wheelchair and finds it difficult to tackle everyday tasks because of the weakness in her limbs.

"I started getting numbness in my toes. I wasn't sure so I kind of didn't do anything about it at first," Coffman said. "Then it started moving over to both feet and then ... up to my knees."

She added,"[Fixodent] is the only product that I've ever used that had zinc in it."

Connection between denture cream and nerve damage made 5 years ago
The connection between the product and zinc was made by researchers at the University of Texas nearly five years ago when they assessed four denture users with neurological disease.

Dr Sharon Nations, author of the study stated, "They had high zinc levels that we could measure in the blood. And all of them reported that they were using very large amounts of denture cream."

The company's defense
Procter & Gamble subsequently updated the Fixodent packaging to list zinc as an ingredient and warn the customers that ""prolonged zinc intake may be linked to adverse health effects."

Even in the face of the lawsuit, Procter & Gamble stand by their product.

They stated, "Procter & Gamble is committed to providing safe and effective products for all consumers. That is who we are and what we stand for. We go to great lengths to ensure that our products safely deliver best-in-class performance, so consumers can choose our products with total confidence.

"Fixodent is safe for use as directed, as supported by the experience of millions of consumers over many years. Our Fixodent formula has undergone extensive scientific testing, and we continuously monitor for its safe use. ...

"We know of no valid scientific evidence that using Fixodent as directed causes any ill health effects."