Tom’s of Maine Lawsuit Claims Kid’s Toothpaste Contaminated with Lead, Arsenic

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A proposed class action lawsuit alleges Tom’s of Maine has failed to disclose that its “Silly Strawberry”-flavored Kid’s Natural Fluoride-Free Toothpaste is “contaminated” with unsafe levels of lead and arsenic. 

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The 25-page class action suit against Tom’s of Maine and parent company Colgate-Palmolive claims the alleged contamination of the kid’s toothpaste is “particularly egregious” given the potentially irreversible consequences of lead and arsenic ingestion. The suit contends that the Tom’s of Maine toothpaste has been “improperly, deceptively, and misleadingly” labeled and marketed to reasonable consumers. 

“Defendants specifically list the ingredients of the Product on the labeling; however, Defendants fail to disclose that the Product contains, or is at the risk of containing, lead and arsenic,” the complaint states, adding that children are particularly vulnerable to the dangers of lead and arsenic exposure.

According to the Tom’s of Maine lawsuit, independent testing conducted by consumer product and safety advocacy group Lead Safe Mama detected the presence of lead and arsenic in the kid’s toothpaste at levels “that are not only extremely elevated for adults, but staggeringly much more dangerous for children.” 

The filing points out that children are known to innocently consume toothpaste, such that  Tom’s of Maine and Colgate-Palmolive include a page on their website about it. 

“Defendants omit from their website the extreme danger of children consuming toothpaste that has been contaminated with lead and arsenic,” the lawsuit scathes, noting that the two neurotoxins are known to cause cognitive defects, mental illness, dementia and hypertension, among other negative health effects. 

The proposed class action notes that Tom’s of Maine and Colgate-Palmolive were cited by the FDA in late 2024 after the agency found certain toothpastes made by the companies were contaminated with “mold-like” substances.

According to Lead Safe Mama, the Tom’s of Maine Kid’s Toothpaste was found to contain 240 parts per billion (ppb) of lead, 4,800 percent higher than the proposed action level for children. The case contends that the Tom’s of Maine kid’s toothpaste has no value due to the alleged lead and arsenic contamination and is thus “entirely worthless.”

The Tom’s of Maine Kid’s Toothpaste lawsuit looks to cover all consumers who bought the toothpaste anywhere in the United States during the applicable statute of limitations period. 

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