Boka Toothpaste and Oral-Care Product Investigation

Boka Consumer Claims Investigation

Attorneys at CohenMalad, LLP are actively investigating claims related to toothpaste, mouthwash, whitening products, and other oral-care products sold by Essor Group, Inc. under the Boka brand.

Boka products have been marketed as fluoride-free oral-care products containing nano-hydroxyapatite, often promoted with claims about remineralizing teeth, whitening, freshening breath, supporting the oral microbiome, and providing science-backed oral-health benefits. Consumers may have purchased Boka products believing they were paying for proven, effective alternatives to traditional fluoride products.

Recent advertising review decisions have raised serious questions about whether Boka had sufficient product-specific evidence to support some of those claims.

BBB Recommends Boka Discontinue Certain Claims

In May 2025, BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division announced that, following a challenge brought by Procter & Gamble, it recommended that Essor Group discontinue claims that Boka toothpaste remineralizes and whitens teeth, as well as certain prebiotic claims related to Boka mouthwash. NAD found that Essor had a reasonable basis to claim Boka toothpastes are made with nano-hydroxyapatite, but recommended discontinuing several performance claims because the evidence did not sufficiently support them.

Essor appealed parts of the NAD decision, stating that it disagreed with NAD’s recommendations and reasoning regarding remineralization, whitening, and prebiotic mouthwash claims.  In July 2025, the National Advertising Review Board, the appellate advertising body of BBB National Programs, recommended that Essor discontinue claims for Boka teeth remineralization, teeth whitening, and mouthwash products.

According to materials reviewed by CohenMalad, LLP’s class action team, the concern is that Boka allegedly made health, safety, and performance claims without adequate product-level testing to support them. Those materials identify claims related to remineralization, enamel support, whitening, cavity prevention, breath freshening, gum soothing, and oral microbiome support.

Why These Claims Matter to Consumers

When companies sell oral-care products using scientific, medical, or health-related claims, consumers are entitled to expect that those claims are backed by reliable evidence. This is especially important when products are marketed as fluoride-free alternatives and promoted as “science-backed” or capable of delivering specific dental-health benefits. The concern is that consumers may have paid a premium for Boka products because they believed the products could deliver advertised benefits such as remineralizing teeth, whitening teeth, helping prevent cavities, or supporting a healthier oral microbiome.

If those claims were not adequately supported, consumers may have been misled into purchasing products they otherwise would not have bought, or paying more than they should have paid.

Concerns About Nano-Hydroxyapatite Claims

Boka toothpaste is known for using nano-hydroxyapatite, often referred to as nHA, instead of fluoride as a key ingredient. The NARB case report noted that the challenged Boka products contain nano-hydroxyapatite instead of fluoride as the primary ingredient, and that the panel affirmed NAD’s decision regarding certain remineralization, whitening, and mouthwash claims.

Some reports discussing the NAD/NARB decision have also noted that neither the FDA nor the American Dental Association has concluded that nano-hydroxyapatite remineralizes teeth in the way some advertising claims may suggest.

For consumers, the issue is whether Boka’s marketing created the impression that its products were proven to provide dental-health benefits comparable to or superior to traditional oral-care products, without adequate support for those representations.

Heavy Metal Testing Reports Have Raised Additional Questions

Separate from the advertising claims challenge, independent testing reports have also raised concerns about alleged trace heavy metals in certain Boka toothpaste products. Lead Safe Mama published reports in 2025 stating that Boka Ela Mint toothpaste tested positive for lead, arsenic, and mercury, and that Boka Kids Orange Cream fluoride-free toothpaste tested positive for lead and mercury.

Boka has publicly stated that it takes quality and safety seriously and requires that its toothpaste meet FDA guidelines, with raw materials tested and verified to be within California Proposition 65 limits for heavy metals.

CohenMalad, LLP's national class action legal team is reviewing these reports as part of its broader investigation into Boka’s marketing, product claims, and consumer representations.

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