Health Canada issues further warning on toothpaste from India

The Canadian government, through Health Canada, has issued an additional warning to Canadians not to use Neem Active Toothpaste with Calcium, as testing revealed the presence of high levels of harmful bacteria. The same brand of toothpaste was subject to a recall July 26, 2007 when it was found to contain unacceptable levels of diethylene glycol (DEG).

Health Canada has advised Canadians to discontinue use of the toothpaste, which is manufactured by Calcutta Chemical Co. Ltd. in India, and keep it out of the reach of children. The toothpaste is not approved for sale in Canada, but has been found in stores across the country.

Although the species of bacteria found was not revealed by Health Canada, they described possible adverse effects such as "fever, urinary tract infection, and gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain." A specific warning focused on particularly vulnerable groups; infants, children and hospitalised patients with compromised immune systems.

This current warning from Health Canada follows a similar recall of toothpaste from China, including some counterfeit Colgate brands, which were found to contain DEG and high levels of harmful bacteria.

To obtain more information on the most recent warning, consumers are advised to call Health Canada’s public enquiries line at 1-866-225-0709.