Too Much Super PoliGrip For Badly Fitting Dentures Is Potential Problem
GlaxoSmithKline, makers of the popular oral care product Super PoliGrip, have come under legal and academic scrutiny recently. The problem is that zinc, a major component of their flagship product, has been linked directly to debilitating diseases in long-time customers. While many users have not reported any problems, many frequent users of the product have reported disturbing and painful side effects, which often affect their ability to walk, grasp, or even feel. In some cases, previously healthy victims must now spend the rest of their lives in a wheelchair as a result of adverse effects of zinc poisoning. The dental adhesive formula includes the metal for two main reasons. It is an excellent bonding agent, helping to hold dentures firmly within the mouth, and also an effective odor-reducing agent that helps control bad breath. While the denture cream does provide both of these benefits, health problems occur when large amounts of paste are used to accommodate ill-fitting dentures, or the products are used for extended periods of time. While the cream bonds the dental prosthetics directly to the gums, minerals are absorbed into the blood stream. Although it is a naturally occurring element in the body, zinc levels are typically held in balance by natural processes. In fact, the human body requires certain levels of the metal in order to balance elements like copper, and to function properly. Normal amounts of the substance are readily available in most of the foods we eat on a regular basis. However, introducing unnaturally high levels of the metal into the body through a product like Super PoliGrip leads to toxicity and devastating PoliGrip nerve damage. Symptoms of zinc toxicity and neuropathy are primarily neurological in nature. Depending on the amount of the metal ingested, the adverse effects may become gradually more noticeable over time, but they are easy to identify. The following are common signs: • Numbness in extremities, especially legs
• Tingling in extremities, especially legs
• Loss of balance
• Loss of feeling or sensation
• Unexplained pain anywhere in the body
• Decreased or shrunken walking stride
• Increased falling or stumbling
• Loss of strength in legs or feet
The severity of these symptoms depends on the victim and the amount ingested. For instance, some people report only mild numbness. They say it feels like wearing an invisible glove or sock. On the other hand, some victims have lost so much balance and strength in their legs that they are bound to a wheelchair for the rest of their lives. The amount ingested is also sometimes related to the fit of a set of dentures. Those without oral prosthetics that fit snugly in the mouth have to use of the product than their counterparts. Ideally someone only needs a few drops, but this only applies to people with correctly fitting dentures. If you have been diagnosed with an injury possibly related to use of Super PoliGrip, be sure to contact a lawyer immediately. It may be possible to bring about a personal damage lawsuit, or to become part of a class action lawsuit already in progress. Either way, a lawyer can help you learn about your rights.
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