Dana L. Yeoman, DDS
Dentures and Implants
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Site last published: 08/21/10
EXTRA! EXTRA!
09/08/08 18:01
The
Mayo Clinic announced a shocking report by Dr. N.
Kumar, a neurologist who studied 25 patients
rapidly becoming disabled with a neurological
disorder called Copper Deficiency Myelopathy. Kumar
discovered three main causes of this debilitating
disease, one of which was ingesting too much
denture adhesive. When the patients stopped using
adhesive, their bodies quit deteriorating within
three weeks. However, their conditions did not
improve because the damage that had been done was
permanent. (Mayo Clinic Proceedings, a peer
reviewed medical journal)
EXTRA!
EXTRA!
Shocking News In Dentures!
Sound like I’m writing for a tabloid? Listen to this.
The Mayo Clinic announced a shocking report by Dr. N. Kumar, a neurologist who studied 25 patients rapidly becoming disabled with a neurological disorder called Copper Deficiency Myelopathy. Kumar discovered three main causes of this debilitating disease, one of which was ingesting too much denture adhesive. When the patients stopped using adhesive, their bodies quit deteriorating within three weeks. However, their conditions did not improve because the damage that had been done was permanent. (Mayo Clinic Proceedings, a peer reviewed medical journal)
I expect surprises in genetics and pharmaceuticals, but in one of the oldest fields of dentistry? Doctors I have talked to about this new discovery are as amazed as I am that this physician has presented cases of patients with anemia, hair problems, dry skin and some had advanced to being wheelchair confined. All these years no one has ever tied these two things together. Something that seems so harmless, has permanent crippling effects when over-used. Many things can be beneficial for you at a low dose, from foods to toothpaste to sunlight. You might have heard your mother say, “Don’t eat too much of that fruit,” or “Don’t stay in the sunshine too long.” Would you have imagined that there might be such a thing as too much denture adhesive for your body?
In Dr. Kumar’s study, one patient was a 43 year old man complaining of numbness and tingling that had begun in his feet and started working up his legs. It eventually effected his ability to walk normally. The tingling moved to his fingertips and a year later they were so numb that he had trouble holding things. His blood tests showed an extremely low level of serum copper and high zinc levels. When questioned, the patient admitted that he had been consuming an entire tube of PoliGrip denture adhesive every day for the past 4 or 5 years. The zinc content of the adhesive was enough to sap all the copper from his system, which fried the nerves in his hands and feet. I will admit, I have heard of taking zinc to keep from getting sick, but I have never heard of taking copper as a vitamin supplement. Apparently, we get it from the copper pipes that carry our water, cashews, whole meal bread, lean beef, lentils, peanuts, butter beans and other vegetables. It keeps our nerves healthy, boosts immunity, and protects against heart attacks and strokes. High levels of zinc in the blood block the absorption of copper. That is when the trouble begins.
When necessary, small amounts of denture adhesive are ok. It needs to be respected like any dental product, to be used as directed in the printed instructions. Approximately 1 in 20 patients treated in this practice need adhesive or implants to hold a denture in place. This can be due to the palate configuration or dry mouth. Some patients are unable to control their tongue due to medical conditions such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease, or other neurological disorders. When adhesive is used, only a wisp of power is needed to hold in a well fitted, quality denture.
Alternately, it has been my experience that there are three categories of people using excess denture adhesive to cover problems. First are patients who wear their initial set of immediate dentures (post-extractions) for longer than a year. Second are patients who wear poor fitting dentures or even a good denture for too long and their mouth isn’t holding up anymore. Third are patients who don’t have the muscle control to wear a denture without implants. When they are filling up their dentures with adhesive to create “cushion” or to fill in the gaps, they are in that toxic zone.
The gentleman described in Dr. Kumar’s article was reapplying adhesive to his dentures several times throughout the day, starting first thing in the morning, after breakfast, after lunch, and after dinner. If you find you have to reapply denture adhesive that often, then you are also ingesting too much adhesive. I would be glad to take a look and see why. Call to schedule a time for me to evaluate your situation.
Dana L. Yeoman, D.D.S.
Second Smile Denture Care
3301 19th Street
Bakersfield, CA 93301
Tel: 661-325-1263
Shocking News In Dentures!
Sound like I’m writing for a tabloid? Listen to this.
The Mayo Clinic announced a shocking report by Dr. N. Kumar, a neurologist who studied 25 patients rapidly becoming disabled with a neurological disorder called Copper Deficiency Myelopathy. Kumar discovered three main causes of this debilitating disease, one of which was ingesting too much denture adhesive. When the patients stopped using adhesive, their bodies quit deteriorating within three weeks. However, their conditions did not improve because the damage that had been done was permanent. (Mayo Clinic Proceedings, a peer reviewed medical journal)
I expect surprises in genetics and pharmaceuticals, but in one of the oldest fields of dentistry? Doctors I have talked to about this new discovery are as amazed as I am that this physician has presented cases of patients with anemia, hair problems, dry skin and some had advanced to being wheelchair confined. All these years no one has ever tied these two things together. Something that seems so harmless, has permanent crippling effects when over-used. Many things can be beneficial for you at a low dose, from foods to toothpaste to sunlight. You might have heard your mother say, “Don’t eat too much of that fruit,” or “Don’t stay in the sunshine too long.” Would you have imagined that there might be such a thing as too much denture adhesive for your body?
In Dr. Kumar’s study, one patient was a 43 year old man complaining of numbness and tingling that had begun in his feet and started working up his legs. It eventually effected his ability to walk normally. The tingling moved to his fingertips and a year later they were so numb that he had trouble holding things. His blood tests showed an extremely low level of serum copper and high zinc levels. When questioned, the patient admitted that he had been consuming an entire tube of PoliGrip denture adhesive every day for the past 4 or 5 years. The zinc content of the adhesive was enough to sap all the copper from his system, which fried the nerves in his hands and feet. I will admit, I have heard of taking zinc to keep from getting sick, but I have never heard of taking copper as a vitamin supplement. Apparently, we get it from the copper pipes that carry our water, cashews, whole meal bread, lean beef, lentils, peanuts, butter beans and other vegetables. It keeps our nerves healthy, boosts immunity, and protects against heart attacks and strokes. High levels of zinc in the blood block the absorption of copper. That is when the trouble begins.
When necessary, small amounts of denture adhesive are ok. It needs to be respected like any dental product, to be used as directed in the printed instructions. Approximately 1 in 20 patients treated in this practice need adhesive or implants to hold a denture in place. This can be due to the palate configuration or dry mouth. Some patients are unable to control their tongue due to medical conditions such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease, or other neurological disorders. When adhesive is used, only a wisp of power is needed to hold in a well fitted, quality denture.
Alternately, it has been my experience that there are three categories of people using excess denture adhesive to cover problems. First are patients who wear their initial set of immediate dentures (post-extractions) for longer than a year. Second are patients who wear poor fitting dentures or even a good denture for too long and their mouth isn’t holding up anymore. Third are patients who don’t have the muscle control to wear a denture without implants. When they are filling up their dentures with adhesive to create “cushion” or to fill in the gaps, they are in that toxic zone.
The gentleman described in Dr. Kumar’s article was reapplying adhesive to his dentures several times throughout the day, starting first thing in the morning, after breakfast, after lunch, and after dinner. If you find you have to reapply denture adhesive that often, then you are also ingesting too much adhesive. I would be glad to take a look and see why. Call to schedule a time for me to evaluate your situation.
Dana L. Yeoman, D.D.S.
Second Smile Denture Care
3301 19th Street
Bakersfield, CA 93301
Tel: 661-325-1263