A win for consumer safety and parental rights: Colgate bends to Texas scrutiny on fluoride toothpaste imagery

By avagrace // 2025-09-19

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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has settled an investigation into Colgate-Palmolive, resulting in the company agreeing to change how it markets fluoride toothpaste to children.
The investigation alleged that packaging depicting a large, appealing swirl of toothpaste encouraged overuse and swallowing by children, contradicting health guidelines that recommend only a pea-sized amount.
As part of the settlement, Colgate must update its packaging and ads to visually show only a "pea-sized" amount of toothpaste on the brush for products marketed to children under six.
The action highlights the controversy around fluoride, which is praised for preventing cavities but is considered harmful if swallowed in large quantities, potentially causing dental fluorosis or other health risks.
Paxton connected the settlement to a growing national movement skeptical of public health measures like water fluoridation, which advocates for greater individual choice and questions established safety orthodoxy.

In a significant victory for consumer safety and parental rights, Colgate-Palmolive has capitulated to pressure from the Texas Attorney General's office, agreeing to fundamentally alter how it markets fluoride toothpaste to children. The move, announced by Attorney General Ken Paxton on September 15, resolves a state investigation into whether the company’s packaging deceptively encouraged the overuse of its products, potentially putting young children at risk. This settlement marks a pivotal moment in a growing national debate that pits established public health orthodoxy against a burgeoning movement concerned with individual health freedom and skepticism of mass medication. The core of Paxton's investigation, launched in May, alleged that Colgate and other manufacturers like Procter & Gamble were engaging in deceptive trade practices. The concern centered on the visual marketing on toothpaste boxes, which often depicted a large, appealing swirl of toothpaste covering the entire brush head. Paxton’s office argued that these images, combined with child-friendly flavors like bubblegum and fruit, encouraged children to swallow toothpaste and implicitly suggested to parents that this large amount was appropriate for use. (Related: Texas AG Ken Paxton targets fluoride in children’s toothpaste amid health concerns.) This visual suggestion stands in stark contrast to official health guidelines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends an amount no larger than a grain of rice for children under three years old. For children between three and six, the recommended amount is a pea-sized dab. Exceeding these amounts increases the risk of dental fluorosis, a condition that causes white streaks or spots on developing teeth, and, in extreme cases, acute toxicity. "Fluoride is an acid salt added to toothpaste to help prevent dental decay. Common forms include sodium fluoride and stannous fluoride. While effective, its safety, especially for children, has been a subject of historical concern and debate," Brighteon.AI's Enoch said.

A new visual standard

Under the agreement, Colgate will change the packaging and marketing materials for its fluoride-containing toothpastes under the Colgate, Tom’s of Maine, and Hello brands that are marketed to children under six. Henceforth, any image on the box or in advertisements showing toothpaste on a toothbrush must depict only a "pea-sized" amount. This simple but powerful change aligns the imagery with the written instructions already on the packaging, eliminating a critical contradiction that Paxton argued misled parents. The company will begin implementing these changes online starting November 1, with physical packaging on store shelves to be updated subsequently. Notably, Colgate maintained that its existing written labeling was accurate and compliant with U.S. Food and Drug Administration rules, and the agreement does not require any changes to that text. The concession is purely visual, acknowledging the profound power of imagery in consumer behavior. To understand why this agreement is consequential, one must understand the dual nature of fluoride. This natural mineral is hailed by organizations like the American Dental Association as a critical tool in the fight against tooth decay. It works by strengthening tooth enamel, the hard outer surface of the tooth, making it more resistant to the acid attacks that cause cavities. For decades, fluoride has been added to public water supplies — a process known as water fluoridation — and to toothpaste for this public health benefit. However, the key principle in toxicology is that the dose makes the poison. While topical application in appropriate amounts is beneficial, ingestion of larger quantities, particularly by young children whose teeth are still developing, can be harmful. This has led to a long-simmering debate over its safety and the ethics of mass fluoridation.

The growing movement of skepticism

Paxton's action is not an isolated incident but part of a broader political and cultural shift. He explicitly connected this agreement to the "Make America Healthy Again" campaign championed by Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent skeptic of water fluoridation. This movement questions the necessity and safety of compulsory public health measures, advocating instead for greater individual choice and awareness. This sentiment is reflected in policy changes across the country. States like Utah have long banned water fluoridation and Florida is now considering similar action. The movement draws support from a diverse coalition including libertarians opposed to government overreach, natural health advocates and parents concerned by studies, such as a systematic review published in JAMA Pediatrics in January, which suggested a potential link between higher fluoride exposure in pregnant women and lower IQ scores in their children. Find more related stories at Dentistry.news. Watch this video to learn the truth about fluoride in your water. This video is from the Maga Titan channel on Brighteon.com.

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A new visual standard

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