New York, NY – January 24, 2025 – In a Fast-Track SWIFT challenge brought by oral care competitor GuruNanda LLC, BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division recommended that Oral Essentials, Inc. discontinue the claim that its Lumineux Whitening Mouthwash is “Enamel Safe.”
Fast-Track SWIFT is an expedited process designed for single-issue advertising cases brought to the National Advertising Division (NAD). At issue was whether Oral Essentials had a reasonable basis to claim that its Lumineux Whitening Mouthwash is “Enamel Safe.”
The challenged claim appeared on the Lumineux Whitening Mouthwash label and in other advertising. In some iterations the “enamel safe” claim appears close to a “clinically proven” claim, unconnected to any specific claim in the advertising. Oral Essentials relied on the results of a Scanning Electron Microsopy (SEM) study on the effects of the use of Lumineux Whitening Mouthwash on enamel tooth chips after being treated in the manner instructed on the packaging.
NAD found that Oral Essentials’ evidence did not support the unqualified safety claim and noted that while the 30-day SEM study has a number of hallmarks of a well-controlled study and did not indicate any negative effect on the enamel samples studied, it was not a good fit for the challenged unqualified “Enamel Safe” claim, which NAD found reasonably conveys a message that daily use of the product will have no negative impact on enamel.
Therefore, NAD recommended that Oral Essentials discontinue the challenged “Enamel Safe” claim. NAD noted that nothing in its decision precludes Oral Essentials from making other truthful and non-misleading claims regarding the safety of its Lumineux Whitening Mouthwash, including claims relating to the product’s effect on enamel.
In its advertiser statement, Oral Essentials stated that “while strongly disagreeing with NAD’s decision, as a supporter of the advertising industry’s system of voluntary self-regulation, Oral Essentials will follow NAD’s recommendation.”
All BBB National Programs case decision summaries can be found in the case decision library. For the full text of NAD, NARB, and CARU decisions, subscribe to the online archive. This press release shall not be used for advertising or promotional purposes.
About BBB National Programs: BBB National Programs, a non-profit organization, is the home of U.S. independent industry self-regulation, currently operating more than a dozen globally recognized programs that have been helping enhance consumer trust in business for more than 50 years. These programs provide third-party accountability and dispute resolution services that address existing and emerging industry issues, create a fairer playing field for businesses, and a better experience for consumers. BBB National Programs continues to evolve its work and grow its impact by providing business guidance and fostering best practices in arenas such as advertising, child-and-teen-directed marketing, data privacy, dispute resolution, automobile warranty, technology, and emerging areas. To learn more, visit bbbprograms.org.
About the National Advertising Division: The National Advertising Division (NAD) of BBB National Programs provides independent self-regulation and dispute resolution services, guiding the truthfulness of advertising across the U.S. NAD reviews national advertising in all media and its decisions set consistent standards for advertising truth and accuracy, delivering meaningful protection to consumers and leveling the playing field for business.
Name: Jennie Rosenberg
Email: jrosenberg@bbbnp.org
Job Title: Media Relations
