Hello Toothpaste Lawsuit

Hello toothpaste’s cheerful marketing claims clash with serious safety concerns that have sparked multiple lawsuits. The brand promotes itself as “naturally friendly,” but now faces class action lawsuits because its children’s toothpastes allegedly contain harmful contaminants.

Tests revealed alarming results in a lawsuit Damany Browne filed on July 11, 2025. Hello Kids Dragon Dazzle toothpaste contained 428.4 parts per billion of lead—28 times higher than EPA’s action level. The mercury levels hit 11.8 ppb, five times above the agency’s maximum contaminant level. The numbers get worse with Fresh Watermelon-flavored Hello Kids Fluoride Free toothpaste. Lead levels reached 493 ppb and mercury touched 19 ppb, which is 32 and 9 times above the limits. The company also faces accusations of misleading marketing practices about its children’s fluoride mouthwash products.

The 2025 lawsuit hits hard at Hello’s carefully built image as a vegan, cruelty-free brand. Dentists have raised red flags about Hello’s charcoal toothpaste. They warn that regular use could damage tooth enamel and make teeth more sensitive. Customers now wait for news about potential payouts while legal challenges mount against this Colgate-Palmolive-owned brand since 2020.

What is Hello Toothpaste and Why It’s Under Fire

Craig Dubitsky founded Hello Products in 2012 as a revolutionary force in oral care. The brand took a different path from traditional toothpaste companies by championing a “naturally friendly” approach to dental care. Dubitsky started Hello because he saw fear-based marketing dominating 10-year-old oral care brands. He wanted to focus on positive messaging and natural ingredients instead.

Origins and natural branding

The company’s distinctive branding strategy quickly caught everyone’s attention. Hello built its identity on being vegan, cruelty-free, and avoiding artificial sweeteners, dyes, and controversial ingredients. This natural approach struck a chord with health-conscious consumers looking for alternatives to conventional toothpaste brands. The brand’s colorful, minimalist packaging and conversational marketing tone made it stand out from clinical-looking competitors. These unique qualities helped Hello capture valuable shelf space and consumer attention in a crowded market.

Colgate acquisition and market expansion

Oral care giant Colgate-Palmolive bought Hello Products in January 2020 for an undisclosed amount. This purchase changed the brand’s trajectory by a lot. Hello gained substantial resources to expand distribution networks and develop new products. The company managed to keep its distinct brand identity under Colgate’s ownership while accessing international markets and retail channels. Hello could now scale up manufacturing operations while staying true to its natural formulations.

Product lines and target audience

Hello’s product range grew extensively after Colgate’s acquisition. The brand now offers fluoride and fluoride-free options, activated charcoal products, and special formulations for children. Their kids’ line features bright packaging, child-friendly flavors like watermelon and blue raspberry, and cartoon characters. These marketing choices have recently sparked legal controversies. Hello wants to appeal to millennial parents who value natural ingredients but also need effective oral care products for their families.

Recent lawsuits challenge whether Hello’s products meet the safety and ingredient standards promised in their marketing. These legal battles could shake the trust Hello has built with its customers over the years.

The Hello Toothpaste Class Action Lawsuit Explained

Legal challenges against Hello Products have surfaced in the last few years. The most notable case came up in early 2025. These lawsuits target the company’s marketing practices and product safety issues.

Overview of the 2025 fluoride mouthwash lawsuit

Miller et al. v. Hello Products LLC became the most important hello toothpaste lawsuit in 2025. The case was filed on January 13, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. It focuses on Hello’s Kids Fluoride Rinse products that come in child-friendly flavors like ‘Unicorn Splash’ and ‘Wild Strawberry.’ The plaintiffs say these products have the same fluoride concentration as adult formulas but are marketed to children without proper warnings.

Claims of misleading marketing to parents

The hello toothpaste class action lawsuit centers on misleading packaging and marketing strategies. Parents across the country claim Hello’s bright packaging, cartoon characters, and candy-like flavors make these products too appealing to young children. This increases the risk that children might overuse or swallow the products. The lawsuit states that Hello’s marketing minimizes potential dangers, especially for children’s fluoride products.

FDA and ADA fluoride guidelines for children

The FDA and American Dental Association don’t recommend fluoride mouthwash for children under six unless a dentist specifically suggests it. Hello’s products reportedly lack clear warnings about these age limits. The American Academy of Pediatrics and ADA support cavity prevention through optimally fluoridated water. All the same, they stress that young children need proper supervision when using fluoride products.

Hello toothpaste lawsuit payout date expectations

The hello toothpaste lawsuit payout amounts vary based on how severe the harm is:

1. Small Consumer Settlements: USD 5.00-50.00 per person for cases without clear physical harm
2. Medium Settlements: USD 100.00-1,000.00 for moderate harm like dental damage
3. High-Value Settlements: USD 5,000.00+ for cases of severe fluoride poisoning

A previous hello charcoal toothpaste lawsuit wrapped up in January 2023 with a USD 1.50 million settlement. Affected consumers got up to USD 6.00 for each product they bought. The Miller case and another lawsuit about artificial sweeteners (Flaherty v. Hello Products) are still ongoing.

Other Major Lawsuits Against Hello Products

The company Hello Products faces several legal challenges beyond the 2025 fluoride lawsuit that raise ongoing concerns about product safety.

Hello charcoal toothpaste lawsuit and enamel damage

Hello Products settled a USD 1.50 million class action lawsuit over its charcoal toothpaste in 2019 without admitting liability. The lawsuit claimed that Hello misled consumers about whitening benefits and the charcoal products could damage tooth enamel. Clients represented by an Oklahoma attorney reported permanent enamel damage after using the product. Hello managed to keep that its charcoal toothpaste tested “well within” the American Dental Association’s Relative Dental Abrasivity (RDA) safety range of 0-250. Dental experts have warned that daily use of activated charcoal could wear away enamel and increase tooth sensitivity and cavity risk.

Artificial sweeteners mislabeling case

Norah Flaherty filed a new hello toothpaste class action lawsuit on March 29, 2023, claiming false advertising. The lawsuit focused on Hello’s “no artificial sweeteners” claims and argued that the products contain synthetic sweeteners sorbitol and xylitol. These ingredients come from hydrogenation of natural substances and are “different than how they naturally occur”. The case targeted 18 Hello products including toothpastes and tablets. A motion to dismiss was pending following oral arguments as of October 2024.

Lead and mercury contamination in kids’ toothpaste

Damany Browne filed the latest hello toothpaste class action on July 11, 2025, regarding contamination in children’s products. Lead Safe Mama’s independent testing showed Hello Kids Dragon Dazzle toothpaste contained 428.4 parts per billion of lead and 11.8 ppb of mercury. The Fresh Watermelon flavor tested at 493 ppb lead and 19 ppb mercury. This is a big deal as it means that EPA contaminant limits by 28-32 times for lead and 5-9 times for mercury.

How Hello’s Marketing May Have Misled Consumers

Hello Products faces legal challenges over their marketing tactics that might mislead parents about product safety. Their strategies seem to target children directly without properly addressing the risks.

Use of child-friendly flavors and packaging

The hello toothpaste lawsuit highlights the company’s bright packaging and kid-friendly flavors. Products like “Dragon Dazzle” and “Wild Strawberry” showcase cartoon characters and vibrant colors that catch children’s attention. These design elements and candy-like flavors make it hard to distinguish between hygiene products and treats. This could lead kids to use too much or accidentally swallow the product.

Social media and influencer marketing

Hello’s digital strategy relies heavily on mutually beneficial alliances with parent influencers. The brand promotes itself as “naturally friendly” on all platforms and emphasizes its vegan and cruelty-free status. This approach helps Hello build trust with health-conscious parents. However, it shifts attention away from ingredient concerns that now form the basis of the hello toothpaste class action lawsuit.

Lack of proper warnings on fluoride products

The hello toothpaste lawsuit 2025 raises serious concerns about inadequate safety warnings. Hello’s children’s fluoride products don’t display clear age restrictions or supervision requirements like other brands. The FDA and ADA advise against fluoride mouthwash for children under six. These missing warnings represent a major oversight that could put young users at risk of fluoride overexposure.

Conclusion

Hello Products faces a tough situation right now as its “naturally friendly” image battles serious legal challenges. Their cheerful marketing doesn’t match up with troubling safety allegations, which serves as a warning sign to consumers. The brand’s reputation for natural, safe oral care products has taken hits from multiple lawsuits since 2020.

Kids’ products are at the center of the most worrying claims. Lab tests showed lead and mercury levels that are nowhere near safety standards. Their fluoride products also lack proper warnings required by FDA and ADA guidelines. Past legal fights over charcoal toothpaste and artificial sweeteners point to a pattern of misleading marketing rather than one-off mistakes.

Parents who bought Hello’s products based on their natural marketing have good reason to worry. These lawsuits raise questions about the company’s priorities – did they care more about cute packaging and kid-friendly flavors than being upfront about safety? Colgate-Palmolive’s takeover didn’t seem to stop these serious product safety claims, even though Hello managed to keep its brand identity.

These ongoing legal battles will change how oral care companies market to families. Consumers should get a full picture of ingredient lists and learn about dental products before use until courts make their final decisions. The whole ordeal highlights why we need to stay alert with products made for kids.

Hello’s positive brand message doesn’t match these serious claims. This reminds us that nice packaging doesn’t mean safe products. These lawsuits will without doubt affect how people view Hello Products and the natural oral care market as they move through the courts.