Zinc oxide overdose

• Alternative names
• Definition
• Poisonous Ingredient
• Where Found
• Symptoms

• Home Treatment
• Before Calling Emergency
• Poison Control, or a local emergency number
• What to expect at the emergency room
• Expectations (prognosis)

Alternative names   

Definition    Return to top

This is poisoning from an overdose of zinc oxide.

Poisonous Ingredient    Return to top

• zinc oxide

Where Found    Return to top

• zinc oxide ointment
• some diaper rash medications
• some hemorrhoid preparations
• in some skin lotions
• calamine lotion
• Caladryl lotion

Symptoms    Return to top

• body as a whole
  • chills
• eyes, ears, nose, and throat
  • yellow eyes
• skin
  • yellow skin
• gastrointestinal
  • abdominal pain
  • nausea and/or vomiting
  • diarrhea

Home Treatment    Return to top

Zinc oxide is considered fairly nontoxic. If swallowed in large doses call Poison Control.

Before Calling Emergency    Return to top

Determine the following information:

• the patient's age, weight, and condition
• the name of the product (as well as the ingredients and strength if known)
• the time it was swallowed
• the amount swallowed

Poison Control, or a local emergency number    Return to top

They will instruct you if it is necessary to take the patient to the hospital. See Poison Control centers for telephone numbers and addresses. Take the container with you to the emergency room.

What to expect at the emergency room    Return to top

Some or all of the following procedures may be performed:

• Induce vomiting.
• Use gastric lavage.
• Treat the symptoms.

Expectations (prognosis)    Return to top

Because of the basic nontoxic nature of zinc oxide, recovery is very likely.