Zinc is a trace mineral, essential for human health as a sufficient zinc balance is cardinal for skin and hairs and skeletal growth, development, and function. Insufficient zinc status in the body is linked with a variety of systemic disorders and has a significant effect on oral health. In the oral cavity, it is present in dental plaque, saliva, and enamel. It is present in mouthwashes and toothpaste due to its prevention role in plaque and dental calculus formation and halitosis. Clinical trials have also concluded that zinc ions decrease the rate of enamel demineralization. It is zinc that is one of the main defenses against the plaque that forms around the teeth. Our bleeding gums wouldn’t heal faster if the body is deprived of zinc because without zinc our body cannot transfer the vitamin A that the gums need in order to heal naturally. Healthy nutrition rich in zinc and other micronutrients is therefore essential in optimizing good oral health.
Key words: zinc, periodontitis, gingivitis, plaque
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