A new class action claims Orajel Naturals children’s toothpaste uses a synthetic detergent.

On Oct. 8, 2026, Janet Ross filed a class action lawsuit against Church & Dwight Co. Inc., the maker of Orajel, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

The lawsuit alleges the company labels its Orajel Naturals children's toothpastes as natural despite containing a synthetic detergent.

The allegations

The lawsuit covers the Orajel Naturals line of anticavity fluoride toothpastes for children ages 2 to 10, which come in packages featuring PAW Patrol, Super Mario and Toy Story characters. Flavors include natural fruity bubbles, natural berry and natural watermelon.

The proposed class action alleges the brand name and flavor names tell parents the toothpaste has no synthetic or artificial ingredients. Company websites, retailer listings and in-store displays allegedly repeat the message.

The filing claims the products contain cocamidopropyl betaine, which it calls a synthetic detergent. Manufacturers allegedly make it by reacting fatty acids, which may come from coconut or palm oil, with one synthetic chemical, then reacting the result with another.

The Orajel Naturals children's toothpastes' panels list the ingredient as "cocamidopropyl betaine (coconut-derived)." The lawsuit contends shoppers cannot tell from that wording that the ingredient is synthetic because they would need a working knowledge of industrial chemistry.

Ross says she bought a PAW Patrol version of the toothpaste for a young child in her household. She would not have bought it, or would not have paid as much, had she known it contained a synthetic detergent, her complaint claims. The company allegedly charges more for the line than for similar children's toothpastes that carry no natural claim.

The legal claims

The lawsuit brings three claims:


  • New York General Business Law Section 349, which bars deceptive business practices

  • New York General Business Law Section 350, which bars false advertising

  • Common-law fraud, which covers knowingly false statements that buyers relied on

The two New York claims cover only people who bought Orajel Naturals children's toothpastes in New York. Under those laws, each buyer seeks actual losses or a set amount per violation, whichever is more, with higher amounts if the company acted willfully. The lawsuit also seeks punitive damages on the fraud claim, refunds, an order to stop the natural claims and attorneys' fees.

What the lawsuit means for Orajel Naturals buyers

The proposed class covers people who bought Orajel Naturals children's toothpastes in the United States for personal use plus a New York subclass for those who bought them in New York. As of this writing, there is no settlement, no claims process and no money available.