Class Action Filed Against Oral-B for False Advertising of Charcoal Toothbrushes to Whiten Teeth
If you purchased an Oral-B charcoal toothbrush to whiten your teeth, you may qualify to join this class action.
The Procter & Gamble Company is accused of falsely advertising the ability of its Oral-B charcoal toothbrushes to whiten teeth in a proposed class action lawsuit Forbes v. The Proctor & Gamble Co.
According to the 24-page lawsuit, it is deceptive to advertise the Oral-B Charcoal Soft Whitening Therapy Toothbrush, Oral-B Clinical Charcoal Battery Powered Toothbrush, and Oral-B Charcoal Electric Toothbrush Replacement Brush Heads Refill as having the ability to “naturally whiten[] teeth” using “charcoal-infused bristles” in as little as a week. There is no proof that charcoal has any appreciable effect on teeth whitening
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The Class Action notes that the absence of scientific evidence supporting the usefulness of charcoal-infused dental products “weighs against the consensus of recognized dentists, researchers, and industry professionals.”
Read more: Complaint Against Oral-B for False Advertising of Charcoal Toothbrush
According to the complaint, neither a review conducted in 2017 by the Journal of the American Dental Association nor a review conducted in 2019 by the British Dental Journal discovered any scientific literature that demonstrated the efficacy of dental products containing charcoal for teeth whitening.
According to the lawsuit, a number of dental professionals have even advised against brushing with charcoal, saying that it may cause teeth to turn gray or black or appear more yellow because charcoal can wear away enamel. The American Dental Association (ADA), which “certifies the safety and efficacy of dental products based on clinical data and research,” has not authorized any charcoal-based toothbrushes because of these safety and aesthetic issues.
The lawsuit claims that the Proctor & Gamble Company marketed their charcoal toothbrushes at a premium price in order to capitalize on the significant customer demand for teeth whitening products.
“For instance, a subscription for a two-pack of the charcoal-infused replacement heads through the defendant’s own retail website, OralB.com, costs $24.99, whereas a subscription for a two-pack of the Precision Clean replacement heads costs only $18.99, resulting in a $6.00 price premium for the charcoal product. In a similar vein, a single purchase of the replacement brush heads infused with charcoal costs close to $8.00 more than the equivalent non-charcoal variant.
The lawsuit seeks to represent any American who bought an Oral-B Clinical Charcoal Battery-Powered Toothbrush, Oral-B Charcoal Electric Toothbrush Replacement Brush Heads Refill, or Oral-B Charcoal Soft Whitening Therapy Toothbrush from the Proctor & Gamble Company during the applicable statute of limitations period.
If you purchased an Oral-B charcoal toothbrush and it did not whiten your teeth, please leave a comment below.
