Colgate Lawsuit 2026: Where the Fluoride Rinse and Toothpaste Cases Stand
"Colgate lawsuit" isn't one case — it's three separate, active pieces of litigation moving through federal courts right now. The furthest along is a fight over Colgate's fluoride mouth rinse for kids, where a federal judge let the core claims proceed in March 2026. Running alongside it: a lead-contamination lawsuit over "Hello Kids" toothpaste, and a brand-new case (filed July 2026) over an ingredient in Colgate Total. None of these have settled. As of August 2026, there is no settlement fund, no claim form, and no payout — anyone telling you otherwise is not a legitimate source.
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Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
What's Being Alleged: Three Separate Cases
Case 1 — Fluoride Rinse: Cook v. Colgate-Palmolive Co. claims Colgate marketed its Hello Kids Fluoride Rinse as safe for young children even though health guidance says fluoride rinses shouldn't be used by kids under 6, who can't reliably avoid swallowing it. The suit alleges risks of fluoride toxicity and dental fluorosis, and says the packaging's "naturally friendly" branding and lack of clear warnings mislead parents. Case 2 — Hello Kids Lead: Barton, et al. v. Colgate-Palmolive Co. claims independent lab testing found 236 to 658 parts per billion of lead across several Hello Kids toothpaste flavors — well above the 100 ppb guidance level the FDA uses for lead in candy likely to be eaten by young children — while Colgate marketed the line as "natural" and safe. Case 3 — Colgate Total / SLS: Fry, et al. v. The Colgate-Palmolive Company, filed July 24, 2026, alleges Colgate Total contains sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) at levels the complaint calls capable of damaging gum tissue, triggering inflammation, and disrupting the oral microbiome — while being marketed as beneficial for gum health. Parallel suits were filed the same day against Procter & Gamble (Crest) and Haleon (Sensodyne/Parodontax).
Case Details
Three separate, unconsolidated cases: Cook v. Colgate-Palmolive Co., No. 1:25-cv-05448, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Hon. Andrea R. Wood) — fluoride rinse. Barton, et al. v. Colgate-Palmolive Co., No. 3:25-cv-02833, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California — Hello Kids toothpaste lead. Fry, et al. v. The Colgate-Palmolive Company, No. 3:26-cv-03858-RBM-AHG, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California — Colgate Total / sodium lauryl sulfate. None of these have been consolidated into an MDL, and none has a court-appointed settlement administrator — because none has settled.
Current Status: Three Active Cases, No Settlement
Is There Anything to File a Claim For?
Not right now — none of these cases has reached a class certification or a settlement, so there is no claim form to submit and no deadline to track. If you bought one of the products at issue, here's who the proposed (not yet certified) classes cover: the fluoride rinse case proposes a class of consumers in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Washington, and D.C. who bought Hello Kids Fluoride Rinse for a child under 6. The Hello Kids toothpaste lead case proposes a class of California purchasers within the past four years. The Colgate Total SLS case covers purchasers within four years of the July 2026 filing. None of these classes has been certified by a judge yet — that's a separate step that comes later, if the cases survive further motions.
How Much Could You Get? Nobody Knows — There's No Settlement
Timeline: From First Fluoride Complaints to the New SLS Suit
- 1
January 13, 2025 — First fluoride lawsuits filed nationwide
Lawsuits are filed the same day against Colgate (Verbish v. Colgate-Palmolive, N.D. Cal.), Crest-maker Procter & Gamble (Gurrola v. P&G, N.D. Ill.), and other makers of children's fluoride toothpaste and rinses, alleging fluoride concentrations several times higher than considered safe for young children and deceptive "pea-sized" dosage marketing.
- 2
May 15, 2025 — Cook v. Colgate-Palmolive filed over fluoride rinse
Plaintiff Josh Cook sues Colgate-Palmolive in the Northern District of Illinois specifically over Hello Kids Fluoride Rinse, case No. 1:25-cv-05448, alleging the product is marketed as safe for children under 6 despite fluoride-toxicity and dental-fluorosis risks.
- 3
October 22, 2025 — Barton v. Colgate-Palmolive filed over lead in Hello Kids toothpaste
Plaintiffs Nathan Barton and Cynthia Fahrnkopf file suit in the Southern District of California, case No. 3:25-cv-02833, citing independent lab testing that allegedly found 236–658 parts per billion of lead across multiple Hello Kids toothpaste flavors.
- 4
March 30, 2026 — Judge rules fluoride rinse claims proceed, toothpaste claims dismissed
Judge Andrea R. Wood (N.D. Ill.) allows the core claims against Colgate-Palmolive and Tom's of Maine over fluoride rinse marketing to move forward, while dismissing similar claims that had targeted fluoride toothpaste marketing in the same litigation wave.
- 5
June 29, 2026 — Hello Kids lead case narrowed
Per Law360's reporting, Colgate defeats the omission-based theory of liability in the Hello Kids lead lawsuit, while other claims in the case continue toward further proceedings.
- 6
July 24, 2026 — New lawsuit filed over Colgate Total and sodium lauryl sulfate
Fry, et al. v. The Colgate-Palmolive Company (S.D. Cal., No. 3:26-cv-03858-RBM-AHG) is filed alongside parallel suits against Procter & Gamble (Crest) and Haleon (Sensodyne/Parodontax), alleging SLS in these toothpastes can irritate and damage gum tissue despite being marketed for gum health.
Scam Alert: There Is No Colgate Settlement to Claim — Yet
Because "Colgate lawsuit" gets searched heavily and the underlying cases involve children's products, it's a magnet for premature or outright fake settlement content. Three patterns to watch for:
"Colgate Settlement Claim Form" sites and ads
No settlement exists in any of the three active Colgate cases described above. Any site, email, or social ad offering a "Colgate settlement claim form" right now is not connected to a real case — it's collecting your personal or payment information for something that doesn't exist yet.
"Check your eligibility" quizzes on social media
Lead-generation ads asking you to "see if you qualify for the Colgate lawsuit" and enter your contact details are typically unaffiliated with the actual law firms handling these cases (Siri & Glimstad LLP and KamberLaw LLP, among others). Legitimate plaintiffs' firms don't need a quiz to sign up class members before a class even exists.
Fake "Colgate product recall" refund offers
No recall has been issued for Hello Kids toothpaste, Hello Kids Fluoride Rinse, or Colgate Total as of August 2026 — these are lawsuits over marketing and ingredient claims, not product recalls. Be skeptical of anyone offering a "recall refund" for these products.
Colgate Lawsuit FAQ
Is there a Colgate settlement I can file a claim for right now?
No. All three active Colgate cases — the fluoride rinse case, the Hello Kids lead case, and the new SLS case — are still in active litigation. None has reached a settlement or class certification, so there is no claim form, no deadline, and no payout to track yet.
What is the Colgate fluoride rinse lawsuit about?
Cook v. Colgate-Palmolive Co. (N.D. Ill., No. 1:25-cv-05448) alleges Colgate marketed Hello Kids Fluoride Rinse as safe for young children despite guidance that fluoride rinses shouldn't be used by kids under 6. A federal judge let the core claims proceed on March 30, 2026.
What is the Hello Kids toothpaste lead lawsuit about?
Barton, et al. v. Colgate-Palmolive Co. (S.D. Cal., No. 3:25-cv-02833) alleges independent lab testing found lead levels of 236–658 parts per billion in Hello Kids toothpaste — above the FDA's 100 ppb candy guidance level — while the product was marketed as "natural." A June 2026 ruling narrowed some claims in the case, while others continue.
Is Colgate toothpaste or mouthwash actually unsafe to use?
These are unresolved allegations in active litigation, not established findings, and no recall has been issued for any of the products named in these suits. If you have specific safety concerns about a product you use, that's a question for your dentist or pediatrician, not a lawsuit tracker.
What did the March 2026 court ruling actually decide?
Judge Andrea R. Wood ruled that Colgate-Palmolive and Tom's of Maine must face claims over their children's fluoride rinse marketing, but she dismissed parallel claims that had targeted fluoride toothpaste marketing in the same wave of litigation. It's a ruling on motions to dismiss, not a verdict or settlement — the case still has to go through discovery, class certification, and either trial or settlement.
What's the new lawsuit over Colgate Total and sodium lauryl sulfate?
Filed July 24, 2026 in the Southern District of California, Fry, et al. v. The Colgate-Palmolive Company alleges Colgate Total contains sodium lauryl sulfate at levels the complaint says can irritate and damage gum tissue, filed the same day as similar suits against Crest and Sensodyne/Parodontax. It's brand new and hasn't had a substantive ruling yet.
How will I know when there's a real Colgate settlement to file for?
A real settlement would come with a court-appointed administrator, an official settlement website, and a specific claims deadline announced through legitimate news coverage and court filings — none of which exist for any of these three cases as of August 2026. Until then, treat any claim form or payout offer as suspect.
Separate from this case: were you injured in the last 2 years?
Class-action payouts are fixed amounts through an administrator. A personal injury claim is a different case — and often worth far more. Free estimate, no obligation.