Zinc oxide is a versatile metal oxide. It has the appearance of a white powder and is used as a bulking or filling agent and as a white pigment. Zinc oxide pigments are the most important inorganic white pigments apart from titanium dioxide and zinc sulphide pigments. This pigment is mainly used in paints, coatings, art pigments and cosmetics. It is also found in some rubber, glass and ceramic products and is used as a catalyst in the chemical industry.

In addition, Zinc oxide has antibacterial, deodorising and UV absorbing properties. Therefore, Zinc oxide is also commonly used in pharmaceutical preparations and cosmetic products. Zinc oxide ointment can be used to treat or prevent skin irritations such as cuts, burns or nappy rash. It forms a barrier on the skin in order to protect it from irritants/moisture. Its strong absorption of ultraviolet (UV) rays makes it useful in sunscreen lotions. It blocks UVA (longer wavelengths) and UVB (shorter wavelengths) radiation, preventing sunburn, skin damage and cancer.

Clinical treatment studies of zinc oxide as a pulp chamber filling material in primary molars showed no difference in treatment failure rates and types of teeth treated between boys and girls (p values of 0.77 and 0.87, respectively). The long-term success rate of zinc oxide zinc sulphate and zinc oxide eugenol was quite high up to five years (p = 0.16).

References:

[1] MOTI MOSKOVITZ. Zinc Oxide Zinc Sulfate versus Zinc Oxide Eugenol as Pulp Chamber Filling Materials in Primary Molar Pulpotomies.[J]. Children-Basel, 2021. DOI:10.3390/children8090776.  

[2] PFAFF G. Zinc oxide pigments[J]. Physical Sciences Reviews, 2021. DOI:10.1515/psr-2020-0203.