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The makers of the popular toothpaste brand RiseWell were sued recently. Why? Well, two moms in the state of California filed suit and claimed that they took their mineral kids’ toothpaste, sent it off to a lab and it tested positive for PFAS chemicals.
Now, RiseWell markets their toothpaste as PFAS-free, clean, nontoxic, and safe to swallow. These moms claim this isn’t true, and that their toothpaste is full of PFAS. So today, we’re diving into the details and chatting about whether or not this lawsuit holds merit. Spoiler alert: my daughter is still using RiseWell toothpaste as we speak.
With many people pulling their support for RiseWell until this lawsuit is settled, I feel a deep responsibility to speak up. Unfortunately, small companies are a target for people who are looking for a payday. So listen to the episode to understand why I’m standing behind RiseWell as a company!
In this episode, we’re chatting about:
- How the RiseWell Toothpaste PFAS lawsuit came about in the first place
- The questions and processes I went through with RiseWell before becoming an affiliate and including them in my shopping guide
- How I think this lawsuit is going to pan out
- Why it’s important to me to stand behind RiseWell
Full Transparency
Here’s the thing: I have a close working knowledge of RiseWell and their practices because of my affiliate relationship with them. If you go to my toxin-free shopping guide, you’ll find RiseWell. I would never recommend any company without properly vetting them and asking the hard questions. And RiseWell has been nothing but impressive to me with their testing and transparency.
Overview of the RiseWell Toothpaste PFAS Lawsuit
Two moms purchased RiseWell kid’s mineral toothpaste. They told the court they purchased it because it was being marketed as completely non-toxic and safe. RiseWell says it’s safe to swallow for children.
They took one tube of toothpaste they purchased and sent it to a Department of Defense Accredited Certified Lab to test it for PFAS. They tested total fluorine, which is a proxy in the industry for PFAS, rather than testing for the individual different PFASs because there are more than 13,000 out there. We know the top 10 PFAS that we find in products, but it’s expensive to test for those individual PFASs.
In the general testing that’s done, they look for forever chemicals (PFAS) by bringing in other chemicals to see if there is anything in there that has some of those properties. So they did a total fluorine test and the lab confirmed that this toothpaste bottle was positive for a whole bunch of PFAS. So the moms filed a class action lawsuit against RiseWell.
My Experience with RiseWell
When I’m researching and vetting companies, there are a lot of important things for me to look at. Ingredients are number one. If I take a look at the ingredients in toothpaste, I don’t want to see:
- Fluoride
- Artificial dyes
- Additives
RiseWell checked all those boxes. I also always contact a company and ask:
- Do you have third-party testing?
- What are your manufacturing processes?
- Do you have control over your manufacturing processes?
I ask companies hard questions because I know you don’t have time to go that far into research yourself, and I know the right questions to ask.
When I reached out to RiseWell, I cannot tell you how impressed I was. Not only do they test for the presence of PFAS, they test every lot. You can email RiseWell and tell them what lot your toothpaste is from, and they will send you all the results from the testing that they have done on that specific lot. They’ve been doing this for three years. They’re one of the only companies that I’m aware of that does this extensive testing.
What RiseWell does is truly incredible. There’s a transparency there that doesn’t exist with other brands. It also tastes good and has good ingredients! They offer both mineral hydroxyapatite, which is what I prefer and what I use, and a pro version that is nano-hydroxyapatite.
I’m Standing by RiseWell
I could have sat back and taken the neutral position. I could have waited to see what happens in this lawsuit. But, considering all the facts, I am standing by RiseWell. They will remain at the top of my toxin-free shopping guide. You can purchase their product here (Use code WENDYKATHRYN10 for 10% off)
Just so everyone understands, this decision isn’t being made from a place of having a financial relationship with the brand. I don’t want anybody to question why I’m taking this position. So I’m going to donate every dollar that I’ve earned from being a RiseWell affiliate to the Bro-Am Foundation, a local San Diego charity run by the band Switchfoot, which is an important charity to me.
I’m encouraging you to buy their toothpaste. I’m encouraging you to send them notes of support. If you have a moment, thank them for their transparency and standards. I think that would be phenomenal. My biggest fear is this will become a pattern – that these smaller companies that are testing, sourcing sustainably, and going above and beyond to create clean products will become targets. You can help stop that from happening.
Use the code WENDYKATHRYN10 for 10% off all RiseWell products!
If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please:
- Leave a positive review or rating wherever you listen
- Shop toxin-free products on my Toxin Free Shopping Guide
- Download your free Tossing the Toxins Guide
- Post a screenshot of what you loved and tag me on Instagram @wendy_toxinfreeish
- Want to ask me a question to get answered on the podcast? Leave me a voice message here.
Related Episodes:
Episode 19: The Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste Dilemma: Why Nano is a No-Go
Episode 24: What are PFAS “Forever Chemicals”? Here is Everything You Need to Know
Episode 74: What is The Best Non-Toxic Cookware? Avoid PFAs When Cooking
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