Hello Toothpaste Lawsuit Filed Over Alleged Lead, Mercury Contamination

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A proposed class action lawsuit accuses Hello Products of failing to warn consumers that Hello Kids Dragon Dazzle toothpaste and “Fresh Watermelon”-flavored Hello Kids Fluoride Free toothpaste contain “alarmingly high” levels of lead and mercury.

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According to the 35-page Hello Products toothpaste lawsuit, testing conducted by consumer safety organization Lead Safe Mama revealed that the products contained levels of heavy metals that greatly exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) established contaminant limits. The suit alleges that the company has concealed the presence of lead and mercury in its products and instead continued to market Hello-brand toothpastes as “friendly,” safe and “good-for-you,” despite the known health risks associated with exposure to these heavy metals.

Per the case, testing indicated that Hello Kids Dragon Dazzle toothpaste contained 428.4 parts per billion (ppb) of lead—approximately 28 times the action level set by the EPA—and 11.8 ppb of mercury, more than five times the agency’s maximum contaminant level for the heavy metal.

Similarly, “Fresh Watermelon”-flavored Hello Kids Fluoride Free toothpaste tested for 493 ppb of lead—32 times the EPA’s allowable level—and 19 ppb of mercury—nine times the established contaminant limit, the complaint reports.

As the lawsuit tells it, ingesting even small amounts of these substances can increase the risk of certain cancers, reproductive complications, issues with cognitive development and other adverse conditions. Children are especially vulnerable when it comes to lead exposure because of their developing brains and the way their bodies store the heavy metal, the suit says.

Nowhere on the packaging or labels is the potential contamination risk disclosed, leading consumers to believe the products are safe to use regularly and will not expose them to harmful heavy metals, the filing claims.

The case argues that consumers would not have bought the Hello-brand products had they known the items risked containing dangerous substances such as lead and mercury.

The lawsuit looks to represent all individuals in New York who purchased a Hello-brand toothpaste during the applicable statute of limitations period.

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