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There may be some possibly serious effects from trying to keep dentures stable in the mouth.
According to a study by the University of Maryland, the adhesive used to keep dentures in place can result in neurological damage and blood abnormalities, among other things. The problems come from the zinc in the adhesives, especially when too much of it is used too often.
This discovery may have an impact on anyone who wears dentures.
This information regarding zinc has been accumulating throughout the past few years. A recent study by the Food and Drug Administration acknowledged that there were numerous cases of zinc toxicity from overexposure to it.
The FDA now wants manufacturers to amend their labeling to include the serious risks from too much zinc or explore the idea of using something else.
The American Dental Association says this information is not definitive yet. Instead, the ADA says, these issues develop from patients not following the instructions they’re given.
The FDA also classifies the dental adhesives containing zinc as Class I medical devices, meaning they pose the lowest risk of injury and aren’t required to be tested for safety.
Some manufacturers, however, have already made changes to their denture adhesives to avoid any future legal issues. There has been an increase in medical injury cases stemming from zinc overexposure but GlaxoSmithKline now makes its denture adhesives without zinc.
As of now, the FDA has not mandated that zinc should be banned from all of these products.
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