Children’s toothpaste brands Crest and Colgate/Tom’s of Maine, and mouth rinse brands Act, Tom’s of Maine, Firefly and Hello deceptively market their products, which contain fluoride, as “extra safe for children,” according to six class action lawsuits filed today in California and Illinois.
Fluoride is supposedly a “miracle mineral” when added to water to prevent tooth decay. But it’s the byproduct of phosphate fertilizer production, and is classified by the EPA as hazardous waste. That means towns and states that decide to stop fluoridating their water have to find ways — and spend big — to dispose of their remaining stockpiles.
The FDA today said it is “initiating action” to remove children’s concentrated ingestible fluoride prescription drug products from the market. Although they are available by prescription for babies as young as 6 months old, the drugs were never safety tested or approved by the FDA.
A new study reveals the sugar industry has manipulated fluoride science since the 1930s — exaggerating benefits, concealing risks and steering attention away from sugar’s role in tooth decay. The findings show that industry influence shaped fluoridation policies, raising urgent questions about the public health guidance that persists today.
