Dentures and Denture Adhesives May Contribute to Nervous Systems Problems

      The medical journal Neurology (August 26, 2008) reported on research at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas on four denture-wearing patients who developed neurological problems. All patients had abnormally high levels of zinc in their blood, accompanied by abnormally low levels of copper. Because denture cream contains zinc, and all of the patients habitually used "extremely large amounts."

    The researchers propose that excess denture cream use led to their neurological problems. The balance between zinc and copper in the body is essential for neurological health. Taking in too much of one of these trace metals can cause depletion of the other. One patient's symptoms included weakness in the hands and poor balance, while another had weakness in her arms and legs that made her wheelchair dependent, along with cognitive decline and urinary incontinence.

    Used as recommended, a tube of denture cream should last from three to 10 weeks, the researchers note, but the patients in the report were all using at least two tubes a week. Three had also lost their teeth at a relatively young age, meaning they had been used "extremely large amounts of denture adhesive daily for years." This research provides further evidence that dentures can be a problem to not just dental health, but overall health. Had these patients had their bone loss stabilized with dental implants and the proper restorations placed, they would not have subjected to these problems.

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Comments

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I agree with this post this research provides further evidence that dentures can be a problem to not just dental health, but overall health. Thank you, for posting.

-heather-