Clinical decision-support only. For use by licensed dental professionals. Not a substitute for professional judgment or a complete drug reference. Always verify with primary sources.
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Mineral

Zinc

Likelihood in at-risk patientsLow

Likelihood of deficiency within an at-risk group, not the general population.

Evidence confidenceModerate

Strength of the peer-reviewed evidence.

Food sources

Meat and shellfish (oysters), Legumes, Nuts and seeds, Dairy

Typical intake: 8–11 mg/day for most adults (RDA).

Upper limit: 40 mg/day for adults.

Dental & oral effects of deficiency

  • Altered or reduced taste (dysgeusia)

    Zinc is required for normal taste-bud function; deficiency commonly presents as reduced or distorted taste.

  • Delayed wound healing

    Zinc is a cofactor for tissue repair; deficiency slows healing after oral surgery.

  • Cracked, sore mouth corners (angular cheilitis)

    Cracking at the corners of the mouth.

  • Oral thrush (oral candidiasis)

    Zinc deficiency can impair local immune defenses, raising susceptibility to oral thrush.

  • Sore, red tongue and mouth sores (glossitis/stomatitis)

    Significant zinc deficiency causes mucosal inflammation (stomatitis, cheilitis, glossitis), often with a crusted rash around the mouth.

    Clinical management: Consider zinc deficiency when glossitis or stomatitis accompanies a rash around the mouth, especially after bariatric surgery, with malabsorption or alcohol use; refer for testing.

Dental & oral effects of surplus / excess

  • Altered or reduced taste (dysgeusia)

    Excess zinc (notably from overuse of zinc-containing denture adhesive) can also distort taste, mirroring the deficiency-side effect through a different mechanism.

General toxicity (not necessarily oral-specific)

  • Copper-deficiency myeloneuropathy: Chronic excess zinc intake (case reports specifically implicate overused zinc-containing denture adhesive) impairs copper absorption, causing anemia and a serious, sometimes irreversible neuropathy. A directly dental-product-relevant excess-exposure route.

Sources

  1. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: oral health and nutrition. Touger-Decker R, Mobley C, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2013.
  2. The Effectiveness of Zinc Supplementation in Taste Disorder Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Mozaffar B, Ardavani A, Muzafar H, et al. Journal of nutrition and metabolism, 2023.
  3. A Prescription for Change: Food as Medicine & the Vital Role of Nutrition in Patient Care. teethFirst. Continuing education course material, 2025.
  4. Cutaneous signs of nutritional disorders. Wong CY, Chu DH. International journal of women's dermatology, 2021.