Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has initiated investigations into Colgate-Palmolive Company and Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Co., accusing them of deceptive marketing practices related to children’s fluoride toothpaste products. The investigations focus on allegations that these companies have marketed their products in ways that could lead to unsafe levels of fluoride exposure in children.
The Attorney General’s office issued Civil Investigative Demands (CIDs) to both companies, seeking information about their advertising strategies and product formulations. This action follows a meta-analysis by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ National Toxicology Program, which found moderate evidence linking high fluoride exposure to lower IQ scores in children .
Health authorities, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Dental Association (ADA), recommend that children under the age of three use only a rice-sized smear of fluoride toothpaste, and children aged three to six use no more than a pea-sized amount. These guidelines aim to minimize the risk of fluoride overexposure, which can lead to dental fluorosis, a condition that causes discoloration and damage to teeth.
Despite these recommendations, the Attorney General’s office alleges that Colgate-Palmolive and Procter & Gamble have marketed their children’s toothpaste products in ways that encourage excessive use. The companies have not publicly responded to the investigations.
Attorney General Paxton emphasized the importance of protecting children’s health from potential risks associated with fluoride exposure. He stated, “I will use every tool available to protect our kids from dangerous levels of fluoride exposure and deceptive advertising.”
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