Saturday, March 19, 2011

Be Careful with Risk of Excess Zinc Intake


Despite the fact that zinc is considered to be an essential mineral for the human body, you should keep in mind that excess zinc intake may be harmful. 
At present, a new study has asked dentists to pay specific attention to the amount of zinc they consume.
J. A. von Fraunhofer, the co-author of the study stated: "If a patient wears dentures, it is essential that he or she follows the instructions and recommended dosages on the product label," he added that "Many times, patients will overuse the adhesive and, although it happens rarely, they can ingest toxic levels of zinc, with adverse neurologic effects." In order to ensure that a patient is not overusing the adhesive, the optimal use of denture adhesive involves placing a thin film or a series of dots across the denture surface. 

"A single tube should last three to 10 weeks with daily use, although actual usage depends on the number of applications per day. An ill-fitting denture is one reason that a patient could be overusing adhesive," mentioned the spokesperson of the Academy of General Dentistry, Manuel A. Cordero. He also stated that "With age, your mouth will continue to change as the bone under your denture shrinks or recedes. If the denture doesn't fit correctly, the patient tends to use more adhesive to try to get the denture to stay in place." 
"Over time, toxic levels of zinc could cause a copper deficiency, which has been linked to neurological damage," stated Cordero. Source

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