Dangerous heavy metals found in popular toothpaste brands, including lead

A new US study has revealed that many popular toothpaste brands, including some for children and others marketed as natural or green, are contaminated with dangerous levels of lead and other heavy metals.

Lead Safe Mama, the consumer advocacy group behind the investigation, tested 51 toothpaste brands and found that around 90 percent contained lead.

Additionally, 65 percent contained arsenic, nearly half tested positive for mercury, and about one-third showed traces of cadmium. Many brands were found to contain multiple heavy metals, raising serious health concerns.

The highest levels discovered violated the state of Washington’s safety limits, although they remained within federal guidelines.

Public health advocates have criticised federal limits as inadequate, pointing out that even low levels of lead exposure can be harmful.

“It’s unconscionable – especially in 2025,” said Tamara Rubin, founder of Lead Safe Mama.

“What’s really interesting to me is that no one thought this was a concern.”

Exposure to lead can damage cognitive development in children, harm the kidneys, and increase the risk of heart disease. All four of the detected metals – lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic – are classified as carcinogens.

Among the brands found to contain concerning levels of metals were Crest, Sensodyne, Tom’s of Maine, Dr Bronner’s, Davids, Dr Jen and others.

So far, none of the companies named have agreed to remove lead from their products, Rubin said.

Some have responded by sending cease-and-desist letters, which she posted publicly on her blog.

Several companies have defended their products by stating that lead occurs naturally in the environment and cannot be completely eliminated. Others dismissed the test results as insignificant.

The Baby Food Safety Act of 2024, which is currently stalled in Congress, proposes a limit of 10 parts per billion (ppb) for lead in children’s food.

California has already implemented a stricter limit of six ppb. However, neither law addresses toothpaste.

The FDA and Procter & Gamble, the parent company of Crest, have not yet commented.

According to Rubin, the contamination likely stems from specific ingredients used in toothpaste formulations, such as hydroxyapatite, calcium carbonate, and bentonite clay.

Hydroxyapatite, which is derived from cow bone, is believed to support calcium absorption in teeth. Calcium carbonate is used to whiten teeth, and bentonite clay acts as a cleansing agent.

However, not all brands tested positive. Some children’s products, including Dr Brown’s Baby Toothpaste, were found to be free of lead and other heavy metals. These also did not contain the three suspect ingredients.