Mildred E. Krause, an 81-year-old Ceres grandmother, hopes that going public over a product she claims made her sick will help others avoid the same ordeal.
Krause claims that soaking her dentures in Polident caused her to get very sick, prompting four emergency room visits, two hospitalizations and countless doctor visits since July. Her medical problems included mouth sores, shortness of breath, skin rash, ringing ears, swollen eyes and severe dizziness. She's also undergone a battery of tests to explain the loss of 30 pounds since the end of July.
Doctors were puzzled at the cause of her ailments and Mildred was growing frustrated and angry. In an attempt to investigate all possibilities, one day she picked up her box of Polident that she purchased and began using in July and began reading the label.
"At last I was certain I had solved my health problem," said Krause.
She feels confident that at least one ingredient was causing the problem - potassium monopersulfate. She discontinued use of the product on Oct. 11.
According to the Food & Drug Administration, there's been at least 73 reports of adverse reactions, including one death, from persulfates found in denture cleansers. Persulfates are used as part of the cleaning and bleaching process. The federal agency issued a public safety notice on Feb. 14, 2008 but Krause suspects few health-care workers or consumers got the memo.
It reads: "This is to alert you to the risk of allergic reactions in users of denture cleansers, and the risks of misusing these products. The FDA has received at least 73 reports of adverse events, including at least one death, related to the use of denture cleansers. These adverse events have occurred both when the product has been used properly as well as from improper use. The allergic reactions can occur soon after the patient begins using the product, or after years of use.
"In addition to reports of allergic reactions, FDA has also received reports of severe adverse events, including at least one death, resulting from misuse of the product. Some patients have gargled or swallowed it, resulting in abdominal pain, vomiting, seizures, hypotension and difficulty breathing."
The notice suggests no one should ingest the product as it can cause esophageal ulcers, abdominal pain, vomiting, burns, irritation, breathing problems, hypotension, seizures, gum tenderness, bleaching of tissue, and blood in the urine.
"This product that many, many people trust and use is knowingly poisoning its consumers," said Krause, who denies ever misusing the product. She said if she varied from the directions to only soak dentures for three minutes, it was for five minutes and she washed them off before placing them in her mouth.
"What makes me so angry is, if a few people get sick after eating beef hamburger, lettuce, cantaloupe, etcc., it is recalled. Why in heaven's name is a product as dangerous as these denture cleaners remain on the shelf? I will not rest until this is rectified.
"I don't think I can do anything legally because of the disclaimer. If I can save anybody else of this misery I hope I can."
The Courier was unable to obtain a statement from the manufacturer of the popular cleanser.
Krause claims that soaking her dentures in Polident caused her to get very sick, prompting four emergency room visits, two hospitalizations and countless doctor visits since July. Her medical problems included mouth sores, shortness of breath, skin rash, ringing ears, swollen eyes and severe dizziness. She's also undergone a battery of tests to explain the loss of 30 pounds since the end of July.
Doctors were puzzled at the cause of her ailments and Mildred was growing frustrated and angry. In an attempt to investigate all possibilities, one day she picked up her box of Polident that she purchased and began using in July and began reading the label.
"At last I was certain I had solved my health problem," said Krause.
She feels confident that at least one ingredient was causing the problem - potassium monopersulfate. She discontinued use of the product on Oct. 11.
According to the Food & Drug Administration, there's been at least 73 reports of adverse reactions, including one death, from persulfates found in denture cleansers. Persulfates are used as part of the cleaning and bleaching process. The federal agency issued a public safety notice on Feb. 14, 2008 but Krause suspects few health-care workers or consumers got the memo.
It reads: "This is to alert you to the risk of allergic reactions in users of denture cleansers, and the risks of misusing these products. The FDA has received at least 73 reports of adverse events, including at least one death, related to the use of denture cleansers. These adverse events have occurred both when the product has been used properly as well as from improper use. The allergic reactions can occur soon after the patient begins using the product, or after years of use.
"In addition to reports of allergic reactions, FDA has also received reports of severe adverse events, including at least one death, resulting from misuse of the product. Some patients have gargled or swallowed it, resulting in abdominal pain, vomiting, seizures, hypotension and difficulty breathing."
The notice suggests no one should ingest the product as it can cause esophageal ulcers, abdominal pain, vomiting, burns, irritation, breathing problems, hypotension, seizures, gum tenderness, bleaching of tissue, and blood in the urine.
"This product that many, many people trust and use is knowingly poisoning its consumers," said Krause, who denies ever misusing the product. She said if she varied from the directions to only soak dentures for three minutes, it was for five minutes and she washed them off before placing them in her mouth.
"What makes me so angry is, if a few people get sick after eating beef hamburger, lettuce, cantaloupe, etcc., it is recalled. Why in heaven's name is a product as dangerous as these denture cleaners remain on the shelf? I will not rest until this is rectified.
"I don't think I can do anything legally because of the disclaimer. If I can save anybody else of this misery I hope I can."
The Courier was unable to obtain a statement from the manufacturer of the popular cleanser.
