Colgate-Palmolive is one of the world’s best-known oral-care companies, but its products have also become the subject of several significant lawsuits. Recent litigation has focused particularly on children’s fluoride mouth rinses, Tom’s of Maine toothpaste manufacturing conditions and product marketing. Colgate has also faced older product-liability cases involving its former Cashmere Bouquet talcum powder.
These cases involve different allegations and should not be treated as one single lawsuit. Some remain pending, while others have reached settlements or court decisions.
Kids Fluoride Mouth Rinse Lawsuits
One of the most important recent developments came in March 2026, when a federal judge allowed two proposed class actions against Colgate-Palmolive concerning fluoride mouth rinses for children to move forward.
Parents in the lawsuits allege that Colgate’s packaging gave consumers the impression that certain mouth rinses were appropriate for young children, including children under six. The complaints pointed to child-oriented features such as bright packaging, flavors and prominent use of words such as “kids” or “children’s.”
The plaintiffs argue that these design choices could cause parents to overlook warnings concerning use by younger children.
On March 27, 2026, U.S. District Judge Andrea Wood ruled that the two mouth-rinse lawsuits could proceed. She found that reasonable consumers might not necessarily understand from the front packaging that fluoride rinses were unsuitable for children under six.
The ruling did not establish that Colgate committed wrongdoing. It simply allowed important portions of the plaintiffs’ claims to continue through litigation.
Colgate Toothpaste Claim Was Dismissed
The same judge reached a different conclusion concerning a related lawsuit over children’s fluoride toothpaste.
Plaintiffs argued that toothpaste packaging showing a large amount of toothpaste on a toothbrush could encourage parents or children to use excessive amounts.
However, Judge Wood dismissed the toothpaste case. The court noted that toothpaste labels specifically instructed parents that children between ages two and six should use only a pea-sized amount.
The distinction was therefore important: the court considered the toothpaste instructions clearer than the disputed mouth-rinse packaging.
Colgate Changed Children’s Toothpaste Packaging
The lawsuits followed regulatory scrutiny of how fluoride toothpaste was marketed to children.
In May 2025, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton opened an investigation into Colgate’s marketing and packaging practices.
By September 2025, Colgate reached an agreement with the Texas Attorney General’s Office. The company agreed that packaging and promotional material showing toothpaste on a toothbrush for children under six would depict an age-appropriate amount.
The changes applied to children’s fluoride toothpaste sold under Colgate, Tom’s of Maine and hello brands. Colgate’s written usage instructions already reflected federal requirements and were not changed as part of the agreement.
$2.9 Million Tom’s of Maine Toothpaste Settlement
Colgate also became involved in separate litigation through its subsidiary Tom’s of Maine.
Consumers filed lawsuits following concerns raised about manufacturing conditions at Tom’s Sanford, Maine facility. The complaints alleged that consumers would not have bought certain toothpaste products had they known about conditions discussed in a 2024 FDA warning letter.
Colgate and Tom’s denied wrongdoing but agreed to a proposed $2.9 million class-action settlement covering eligible U.S. consumers who purchased Tom’s of Maine toothpaste between November 21, 2020, and March 6, 2026.
The deadline for consumers to submit claims was July 6, 2026.
Importantly, as of August 23, 2026, the settlement has not yet received final court approval. A final approval hearing is scheduled for September 10, 2026. No settlement benefits can be distributed unless the court approves the agreement.
Cashmere Bouquet Talc Lawsuits
Colgate has also faced product-liability lawsuits concerning Cashmere Bouquet, a talcum-powder product it manufactured for many years.
Plaintiffs in various cases alleged that asbestos contamination in the talc contributed to mesothelioma. Colgate disputed allegations concerning asbestos exposure and causation, and results have varied depending on the evidence presented in individual cases.
For example, California litigation involving Mary Lyons was revived on appeal in 2017 after the appellate court concluded that there was enough evidence to create a factual dispute over whether Cashmere Bouquet contained asbestos linked to her alleged exposure.
Other courts, however, have dismissed claims where plaintiffs could not sufficiently establish exposure or causation.
What Is the Current Status of the Colgate Lawsuits?
As of August 2026, Colgate does not face one universal lawsuit covering all its toothpaste or oral-care products.
The two children’s fluoride mouth-rinse class actions remain important active cases, while the related toothpaste claim was dismissed. The separate $2.9 million Tom’s of Maine settlement is awaiting final court approval.
The cases show how product packaging can become a major legal issue even when required warnings appear elsewhere on a label. For Colgate, the continuing disputes are therefore about more than the ingredients inside a product—they also concern how clearly companies communicate proper use and potential risks to consumers.
