By The Hello toothpaste lawsuit is not one case. Court records show several separate proposed class actions involving Hello Products LLC or its parent, Colgate-Palmolive Company, plus an older charcoal toothpaste case that settled. The newest cases allege that certain Hello Kids toothpastes contain undisclosed lead and mercury. Those claims are allegations only. Based on records reviewed through October 12, 2026, no court has found Hello or Colgate liable, no class has been certified, and no recall or settlement tied to the heavy metals claims exists. Many searches likely reflect parental concern and websites that overstate where the cases stand.
What Is Hello Toothpaste?
Hello Products is an oral care brand sold at major US retailers and owned by Colgate-Palmolive since 2020. Its range includes fluoride toothpaste, fluoride free toothpaste, Hello Kids toothpaste, whitening and activated charcoal products, and a kids fluoride rinse. Each lawsuit names specific products. Nothing in the records suggests every Hello product is involved.
Is There a Hello Toothpaste Lawsuit?
Yes, but the matters differ in products, courts, and status.
Browne v. Colgate-Palmolive Company (Heavy Metals)
Damany Browne filed this proposed class action in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, Case No. 1:25-cv-05698, in July 2025, originally naming Hello Products LLC. A July 29, 2025 amended complaint added plaintiffs Jennifer Pettit and Cassaundra Maxwell and named Colgate-Palmolive Company as the defendant. The products are Hello Kids Dragon Dazzle Fluoride Toothpaste and Hello Kids Fluoride Free Toothpaste in Fresh Watermelon. The claims include breach of warranty and violations of New York consumer protection law. A similar case, Barton v. Colgate-Palmolive Company, was filed in October 2025 in Southern California, transferred to New York, and consolidated into Browne on March 12, 2026. A schedule set briefing on Colgate’s motion to dismiss to finish by August 6, 2026. No ruling was located.
Miller v. Hello Products LLC (Fluoride Rinse)
Amber Miller, Josh Cook, and Marina Vasilyeva sued in the Southern District of California, Case No. 3:25-cv-00071, on January 13, 2025. The case concerns Hello Kids Fluoride Rinse, not toothpaste. It alleges the labeling and flavors suggest the rinse is safe for children under six. Claims arise under New York, Illinois, and California consumer laws. Current status could not be confirmed.
Flaherty v. Hello Products LLC (Sweeteners)
Norah Flaherty sued in Cook County, Illinois, in 2023. She alleges Hello toothpastes advertised as having no artificial sweeteners contain sorbitol and xylitol. She asserts Illinois consumer fraud, common law fraud, and unjust enrichment claims. Hello moved to dismiss an amended complaint, and no ruling was located. Top Class Actions lists the number as 1:23-cv-01990, a federal style format, so it should be confirmed with the clerk.
What Are Consumers Alleging?
In Browne and Barton, plaintiffs rely on independent testing by a consumer group, Lead Safe Mama. The Browne complaint says Dragon Dazzle tested at 428.4 parts per billion of lead and 11.8 of mercury, and Fresh Watermelon at 493 and 19. Barton plaintiffs allege lead between 236 and 658 parts per billion across Hello Kids flavors. They say the packaging did not disclose the risk while marketing called the products safe and friendly. The complaints compare results with EPA drinking water limits, which are not toothpaste standards.
A June 25, 2026 ruling in Brower v. Colgate-Palmolive, a separate case over Colgate branded toothpaste, offers context. A law firm blog summary says the judge held heavy metal omission claims preempted by federal law while some marketing claims survived. That decision did not resolve the Hello Kids case.
Hello Toothpaste Ingredients and Safety
FDA regulates fluoride toothpaste as an over the counter drug, and the American Dental Association and CDC recommend it for preventing cavities. Fluoride free toothpaste is generally sold without an FDA reviewed anticavity claim, so it is not a like for like substitute. Choosing fluoride free is a legitimate preference, and the broader fluoride debate is not evidence of wrongdoing by Hello. For young children, CDC guidance calls for a smear of fluoride toothpaste under age three and a pea size amount from ages three to six, with supervision.
On heavy metals, whether trace amounts cause harm remains contested. No FDA finding or warning about Hello Kids toothpaste was located. Ingredients such as sorbitol and xylitol appear only in some products, so readers should check each label.
Has Hello Toothpaste Been Recalled?
One recall is documented. On August 10, 2023, Colgate-Palmolive announced a voluntary recall of Hello Wild Strawberry Fluoride Toothpaste in the 4.2 ounce size. Some fluoride toothpaste had been filled into tubes labeled as Hello Fresh Watermelon Fluoride Free Toothpaste. Those tubes omitted fluoride disclosure, directions, and warnings. Trade press citing FDA data reported 182,046 tubes, and the company reported no adverse events. Lot codes appear on the carton end flap or tube end seal.
This was a labeling error, not a heavy metals recall. No FDA recall or safety alert for lead or mercury in Hello Kids toothpaste was located. The 2023 recall’s current status should be checked in FDA enforcement reports.
Hello Toothpaste Complaints
Consumers describe taste, texture, sensitivity, packaging, availability, ingredient worries, and effectiveness. These are individual experiences. They do not by themselves show a defect or a legal violation, and online reviews are anecdotal rather than scientific evidence.
Hello Toothpaste Class Action Lawsuit
Browne, Miller, and Flaherty are proposed class actions. In the records reviewed, no court has certified a class in any of them. Some websites describe a certified class of millions, but the dockets reviewed do not support that. Until a judge certifies a class, no group of consumers has been formally defined, and no claims process exists.
Is There a Hello Toothpaste Settlement?
One verified Hello settlement exists, and it is closed. Patellos v. Hello Products LLC, filed in 2019 in the Southern District of New York by Sarah Patellos and Eric Fishon, challenged activated charcoal toothpaste marketing. It ended in a $1.5 million class settlement with final approval in January 2023, and the claim deadline of October 11, 2022 has passed.
For the pending cases, no settlement amount, claim form, or deadline was confirmed. Consumers should not rely on websites advertising a Hello toothpaste payout.
Other Toothpaste Cases Consumers Should Not Confuse With Hello
Separate lawsuits target Tom’s of Maine, Colgate branded toothpastes in Brower, Dr. Brite, and Risewell, each with different products and allegations. In January 2025, parents also sued over fluoride in children’s products from Crest, ACT, and Firefly, according to Reuters. None of these cases is evidence against Hello Products.
Current Hello Toothpaste Legal Status in 2026
No verified judgment, class certification, settlement, or recall involving the heavy metals allegations was found. Browne, consolidated with Barton, is pending. Miller and Flaherty were not confirmed as resolved. Patellos is settled, and the 2023 recall involved labeling. No government investigation specific to Hello was located.
- October 2019: Patellos filed
- August 2023: Wild Strawberry labeling recall
- January 13, 2025: Miller filed
- July 2025: Browne filed
- October 22, 2025: Barton filed
- March 12, 2026: Barton consolidated into Browne
- August 6, 2026: Briefing on Colgate’s motion to dismiss scheduled to conclude
Legal and regulatory information was checked through October 12, 2026, using public court records, FDA materials, and legal news reports. Later docket entries may not be reflected.
What Should Consumers Do?
This is general information, not legal advice. Keep the product and packaging, and record the product name, size, and lot number. Save receipts and any communications with the retailer or company. Check official FDA recall notices. If you believe you were injured or bought a recalled product, consult a qualified attorney or a pediatrician, and consider reporting to FDA through MedWatch. Nothing here means any reader qualifies for compensation.
Key Takeaways
- Several separate cases exist, and the heavy metals claims are unproven allegations.
- No class has been certified, and no settlement or claim process exists for pending cases.
- The only documented recall, in 2023, concerned mislabeled fluoride status.
- The charcoal settlement is closed.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is there a Hello toothpaste lawsuit?
Yes. Several proposed class actions involve Hello Products or Colgate-Palmolive, including a consolidated heavy metals case in the Southern District of New York over Hello Kids toothpaste. The claims are allegations, and no court has found the company liable. An older charcoal toothpaste case settled and is closed.
2. What is the Hello toothpaste lawsuit about?
It depends on the case. The most prominent one alleges certain Hello Kids toothpastes contain undisclosed lead and mercury. Others challenge fluoride rinse labeling for children and “no artificial sweeteners” marketing. No pending case has produced a finding of liability.
3. Has Hello toothpaste been recalled?
One voluntary recall exists. In August 2023, Hello Wild Strawberry Fluoride Toothpaste in 4.2 ounce tubes was recalled after some tubes were mislabeled as fluoride free. It was a labeling error, not a contamination recall. No recall tied to lead or mercury allegations was found as of October 12, 2026.
4. Is Hello toothpaste safe to use?
Plaintiffs allege some Hello Kids products contain lead and mercury, but those claims are untested in court, and no FDA warning or recall about them was located. Parents with concerns can ask a pediatric dentist or physician and should follow label directions, especially for young children.
5. Does Hello toothpaste contain fluoride?
Some do and some do not. Hello sells fluoride toothpaste, which lists sodium fluoride as an active ingredient, and fluoride free versions. Check the front label and the Drug Facts panel on the specific product, since the 2023 recall involved a tube labeled fluoride free that actually contained fluoride.
6. Is fluoride free Hello toothpaste effective?
Fluoride free toothpaste can clean teeth and freshen breath, but the American Dental Association and CDC recommend fluoride toothpaste for preventing cavities. Fluoride free products generally do not carry an FDA anticavity claim. This is a general health point, not an allegation against Hello, and families should discuss it with a dentist.
7. Is there a Hello toothpaste class action lawsuit?
Proposed class actions exist, including the consolidated Browne case, Miller, and Flaherty. None has been certified in the records reviewed. Certification is a court decision that has not occurred, so no one is formally a class member yet. Treat claims of a certified Hello class skeptically.
8. Is there a Hello toothpaste settlement?
No settlement exists for the pending Hello cases, and no claim form, payout amount, or deadline has been confirmed. The only verified settlement, a $1.5 million charcoal toothpaste deal, received final approval in January 2023, and its claim period closed in 2022. Be cautious of sites advertising payouts.
9. Can I file a claim against Hello Products?
No claims process is open. In a class action, named plaintiffs sue on behalf of a group, and members generally file nothing until a settlement or court notice. People who believe they were personally injured can consult a licensed attorney about their own options.
10. Where can I check for the latest Hello toothpaste lawsuit updates?
Search federal dockets through PACER or free sources such as CourtListener for Browne v. Colgate-Palmolive Company, No. 1:25-cv-05698. Also review FDA recall and enforcement reports, official Hello and Colgate-Palmolive notices, and the Cook County Clerk for Flaherty. Treat social media posts and settlement aggregator sites as leads, not proof.