Hello Kids Fluoride Rinse Not Safe for Children Under Six, Class Action Lawsuit Claims

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A proposed class action lawsuit alleges the labeling on Hello Kids Fluoride Rinse gives the false and misleading impression that the product is safe for young children.

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The 42-page case accuses defendant Hello Products of being “deceptive and dangerous” by selling its fluoride mouthrinses in two “kid-enticing” flavors, wild strawberry and unicorn splash. According to the complaint, the scientific consensus remains that fluoride mouthrinses are not safe for children under the age of six, who have poorly developed swallowing reflexes and are at risk of swallowing large amounts of the liquid inadvertently.

“Hello Rinse, which has the same fluoride concentration as adult rinses, is actually more dangerous for young children than adult rinses because it comes in candy and fruit flavors that entice children to use and swallow more of the product,” the suit says.

Per the filing, half a bottle of Hello Rinse contains enough fluoride to be fatal to a toddler. Even ingesting a single dose can cause a child to experience nausea, vomiting and other early symptoms of acute fluoride toxicity, the lawsuit adds.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also states that children who use fluoride mouthrinse are at risk of developing dental fluorosis, a cosmetic condition caused by ingesting too much fluoride during tooth formation, the case relays. Dental fluorosis, the complaint explains, can result in permanent white lines or streaks on the surface of the teeth.

Due to these risks, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requires that fluoride mouthrinses include packaging that “clearly instructs consumers to read the directions” by prominently placing a notice on the front label that reads: “IMPORTANT: Read directions for proper use,” the suit says. Hello Products is “flagrantly violating” this regulation by failing to include this notice on its kids fluoride rinses, the case contends.

The complaint claims that consumers would not have bought Hello Rinse had they known the product was not safe for children.

The lawsuit looks to represent anyone in California, Illinois or New York who purchased Hello Rinse for children under the age of six during the applicable statute of limitations period and who did so in the absence of direction from a dentist, doctor or health care provider.

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