Business

Parents Slam Lawsuits Against P&G, Crest, Colgate for fluoride in kids’ toothpaste, mouth rinse

Last week, a study, published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics linked higher fluoride exposures in children to lower IQ scores.

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2 years ago

January 14, 2025

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(Reuters) – Procter & Gamble (PG.N), and Colgate-Palmolive (CL.N), are among the defendants in six new lawsuits targeting the sale of toothpaste and mouth rinse for young children because the products contain fluoride, which can be harmful if swallowed in large quantities.

Parents filed complaints on Monday in federal courts in Illinois and California over products such as Procter & Gamble’s Kid’s Crest toothpaste and several products sold under Colgate’s namesake, Tom’s of Maine and Hello brands.

Other challenged products include Perrigo’s (PRGO.N), Firefly anti-cavity rinse, and, Sanofi’s (SASY.PA) ACT Kids rinse.

The proposed class actions cite warnings from U.S. health regulators that fluoride-based toothpastes and rinses not be used by children under ages 2 and 6, respectively, and that the toothpastes be kept out of reach of children under age 6.

They also say the products are marketed as “candy-like” with bright colors, cartoon images and flavors such as Groovy Grape and Silly Strawberry.

The color of one Kid’s Crest product is shown changing to pink from blue as children brush. Fluoride helps prevent cavities when applied topically to the teeth, but when ingested can pose significant risks to and even kill young children, according to the lawsuits.

Procter & Gamble, Colgate, Perrigo and Sanofi did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The lawsuits seek restitution, compensatory damages and triple or punitive damages for violations of various consumer protection law.

These lawsuits are not about whether fluoride toothpaste should be available to those who want it,” Michael Connett, a partner at the law firm Siri & Glimstad representing the parents, said in an interview.

“They are about companies that mislead consumers into believing these products are harmless to young children.”

The relationship between fluoride and human health has long been debated.

Last week, a study, published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics linked higher fluoride exposures in children to lower IQ scores.

In September, a San Francisco federal judge ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to further regulate fluoride in drinking water because of the possible link to lower IQ. Connett represented advocacy groups seeking additional regulation.

The Illinois cases are Gibson et al v. Perrigo Co, Gurrola et al v. Procter & Gamble Co, Harden et al v. Colgate-Palmolive Co, and Gurrola et al v. Chattem Inc, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Nos. 25-00348, 25-00358, 25-00362 and 25-00366.

Related Topics:Featured Procter and Gamble Toothpaste for kids

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Naira Exchange Rates Monday, 20 July

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July 20, 2026

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Business

BUA Foods target expansion into noodles industry

Rabiu described the expansion programme as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s industrial future, emphasising that the company’s growth ambitions are driven by a commitment to national development rather than scale alone.

Published

4 days ago

July 17, 2026

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Chairman of the Board of Directors of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu disclosed that it’s food arm – BUA Foods is going into new sectors such as instant noodles because “we see it as a very important sector because of its affordability and its accessibility.”

Rabiu made the disclosure in Abuja on Thursday during the 5th Annual General Meeting of BUA Foods.

He also disclosed that as part of efforts to boost food sufficiency, “we are doubling our wheat milling capacity from over a million to over two million, wheat per annum. And that is huge.”

“We are also tripling the capacity of our edible oil business. In fact, we are setting up a brand new oil mill in Port Harcourt.

“Our ambition has never been to become bigger simply for the sake of size. We are building scale because Nigeria needs strong indigenous companies capable of competing at the highest level, investing for the long term and creating lasting value,” he said.