Colgate to Update Toothpaste Packaging After Fluoride Concerns Raised by Texas AG
NEW YORK/TEXAS: Colgate-Palmolive announced it will introduce new packaging and marketing for its toothpaste products after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton raised concerns about the way fluoride use was being depicted to parents and children.
Starting November 1, Colgate said its Colgate, Tom’s of Maine, and hello toothpaste brands will begin showing “pea-sized” amounts of toothpaste for children under six, in line with product label instructions. The changes will appear online first and later roll out to store shelves.
Paxton, who launched an inquiry into Colgate and rival Procter & Gamble earlier this year, argued that existing marketing could encourage parents to apply excessive amounts of fluoride toothpaste, potentially posing health risks to children. The Procter & Gamble case, involving Crest products, remains ongoing.
Background and Debate
In May, Paxton issued civil investigative demands to both companies, citing marketing practices that, in his view, misled parents about safe fluoride use. He framed Colgate’s agreement as part of his broader “Make America Healthy Again” campaign, linked to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Fluoride has long been endorsed by the American Dental Association for strengthening enamel and preventing cavities. However, recent studies, including one published in JAMA Pediatrics in January, have raised questions about whether excessive fluoride exposure in young children could be linked to lower IQ scores.
Kennedy, a vocal critic of fluoridation, has opposed adding fluoride to public water supplies, despite limited conclusive evidence connecting regulated levels to major health problems.
Colgate-Palmolive, based in New York, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Procter & Gamble also declined to comment, while Paxton’s office did not provide additional details.
