Hi thatgirl,

The lawsuits with regard to fixodent containing zinc are really happening. Small amounts of Zinc are a necessary mineral in our daily lives but it can also be toxic if too much is taken. Most people get their daily requirement of zinc from the foods they eat and others only need to supplement with a maximum of 10-30 mgs per day. Also, there are some people who cannot metabolize zinc very well making them even more prone to the toxicity of it.

Wearing a denture with adhesive that contains zinc means that you are absorbing some amount of the zinc through your palate into your blood stream for the duration of the time that you have the denture in your mouth. The more frequently you use it, the more you absorb. Some people overuse the adhesive and/or they digest what they cannot remove easily off of their palate which can quickly lead to toxic blood levels of zinc.

If you are using fixodent sparingly, removing it completely from your palate when you take the denture out and are not using it at bedtime, then you are probably not absorbing toxic levels of zinc. However, at your next medical physical when you have blood drawn, you could ask your MD to check your serum levels of zinc. This would give you the answer you are looking for.

Nice to have you here, hope to see you again!

Bryanna