Colgate-Palmolive’s toothpaste products are currently the subject of two distinct lawsuits, which taken together present a picture of a company that, if the accusations are true, neglected to sufficiently test or disclose the contents of products marketed specifically to children. The first is a settlement that has already been reached in the Tom’s of Maine case, Rabinowitz et al. v. Colgate Palmolive Company. The claim deadline is July 6, 2026, and a surprisingly high number of eligible customers don’t seem to be aware of it yet. The second, which is still in court, claims that Colgate-branded toothpastes, including one with a watermelon flavor for children, contain high concentrations of lead, arsenic, mercury, and cadmium.

Of the two, the Tom’s of Maine settlement can be implemented more quickly. A claim may be made by any American who bought any Tom’s of Maine toothpaste for personal use (not for resale) between November 21, 2020, and March 6, 2026. The procedure is fairly simple: before the July deadline, send in a form via mail or online at the settlement website. You are eligible for a complete refund on up to three items if you have a loyalty record or receipt that details your purchases. You are still eligible for reimbursement equal to the average retail price of one item per household even in the absence of proof of purchase. There are no out-of-pocket expenses, only one form per household, and all claims are subject to verification.

Colgate Lawsuit Claim Form: Lead, Arsenic, and a July 6 Deadline Every Consumer Needs to Know About

Because Tom’s of Maine holds a unique position in the consumer goods industry, it is worthwhile to focus on that particular angle. Tom’s has been positioned on store shelves as the more ethical option, usually at a premium price that denotes purity, and has been sold for decades on the promise of natural, cleaner ingredients. In 2006, Colgate-Palmolive purchased the business. Regardless of the final outcome of the Tom’s of Maine lawsuit, the accusations’ reputational impact—that a company founded on transparency might have had unreported problems—carries its own weight.

The Brower v. Colgate-Palmolive case, which is still pending in the Southern District of New York, is the more significant litigation. This class action, which was filed in April 2025 and has since undergone two amendments, was brought about by independent consumer goods testing that discovered Colgate toothpaste products had high levels of heavy metals, with some results indicating 200 parts per billion of lead or more. The initial complaint specifically mentioned two products: Colgate Watermelon Burst Toothpaste, which is marketed for children, and Colgate Total Whitening Toothpaste. The results of the testing, which was carried out as part of a larger 2025 study of household toothpaste brands, affected several Colgate and Tom’s of Maine product lines.

The alleged health consequences are not insignificant details. Children who are exposed to lead are at risk for neurological damage, developmental delays, and diminished cognitive function. These risks are well-established, and regulatory bodies have long believed that there is no safe lower threshold. The World Health Organization links exposure to heavy metals more generally to vascular problems, cancer, liver and kidney damage, and reproductive harm. According to the complaint, Colgate either did not sufficiently test its products for these contaminants or knew about them but decided not to report them. For a company whose main product is something families apply inside their mouths twice a day, beginning from infancy, either scenario is concerning.

As of the amended complaint’s filing, Colgate-Palmolive had not acknowledged the Brower case’s allegations. Companies settle class actions for a variety of reasons, and a settlement is not a verdict, so the Tom’s of Maine settlement does not amount to an admission of wrongdoing. However, the legal record—two different filings, an amended complaint, and ongoing independent testing attracting more Colgate products—indicates that this is not going to end amicably or swiftly.

Reading the case files gives me the impression that this is a part of a larger reckoning with what the consumer goods industry has traditionally been allowed to keep undisclosed or untested. It’s easy to see the similarities to the heavy metals controversy surrounding baby food earlier this decade—another category of products targeted at children, another set of findings indicating the industry had not asked itself hard enough questions about contamination. For years prior to the full realization of the legal ramifications, Johnson & Johnson was subject to similar scrutiny regarding talc products. These things usually move slowly at first, then suddenly.

As of right now, consumers who purchased toothpaste from Tom’s of Maine within the previous five years have a simple practical priority: the claim deadline is July 6, 2026. Completing the form takes several minutes. In the event that a company is accused of charging a premium price for a product that it never fully disclosed the contents of, requesting a refund is at least a reasonable reaction to being kept in the dark. The payout may be small, but filing is free.

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