Broken tootbrush injuries leads woman to launch lawsuit

A Surrey, B.C., woman is suing Colgate-Palmolive Canada Inc., claiming that her toothbrush broke and severely injured her mouth while she was brushing five years ago. The case is scheduled for trial Tuesday in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver. According to her statement of claim, Saliha Alnoor was brushing her teeth in Oct. 2006 when the handle of her Colgate Active Angle toothbrush — which she had purchased at a grocery store two months earlier — broke in two places. She said the toothbrush tore her gums, which began to bleed profusely before she passed out.

“I was very fortunate that my family members were around me when I was injured,” Alnoor said in a statement of claim filed in May 2007. “Because of the injury and the excruciating pain, I had fainted for a few minutes and my family members made sure that I did not swallow and choke and drown in my own blood while I was unconscious.” Alnoor said she contacted Colgate and was asked to provide some more information.



She said she never heard back from the company after giving the requested information. “The defendant failed in its duty of care owed to the plaintiff and others to properly test the suitability and safety of the Active Angle toothbrush before releasing the said product into the marketplace,” an amended statement of claim filed in 2009 states. “The Active Angle toothbrush suffered from serious mechanical design flaws which were known or ought to have been known by the defendant at all times material to this claim,” the claim states.

According to the claim, Alnoor’s injuries have led to gingivitis, poor appetite and weight loss. She required “extensive” oral surgery to repair the damage to her mouth and continues to endure pain, suffering and loss of enjoyment of the amenities of life. Before the incident her dental and general health were reportedly “excellent.” Alnoor is seeking general, special and punitive damages, plus costs.