Health Products Regulatory Authority & HSE Recall ‘ToothFaerie’ Toothpaste.

The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) and the Health Service Executive (HSE) are, today, advising consumers of a recall of the ‘ToothFaerie‘ brand of toothpaste products.

With some of the recalled products possibly remaining available to Irish consumers; both the HSE and HPRA confirm that these toothpastes are unsafe, and advise consumers to immediately halt the use of these products, which are also possibly available online and which do not meet the necessary requirements of the European Cosmetics Regulations.

The products listed include the ingredient sodium tetraborate (borax), latter prohibited from use in cosmetic products, since same may cause damage to the reproductive system, affecting fertility.

One batch of the product tested was found to contain lead, which can also damage fertility or the unborn child, and can cause damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure.

Yet, other batches of product tested were found to contain microbial contamination; [latter a bacterium causing disease or fermentation] at levels which could cause irritation or serious infection.

To date, no assurance has been received from the manufacturing company that a ‘Cosmetic Product Safety Report’ had been carried out on the stated now banned products. Such safety reports are a legal requirement for all cosmetics for sale on the Irish market, thus these products are considered non-compliant and unsafe.

Unfounded medical claims, were also claimed by the company in their advertising material relating to these products.

The HPRA wish to remind consumers to always check that any cosmetic product they purchase, whether in retail shops or via online, has a name and address within the EU, on the label.