The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right Apagard Toothpaste: Premio vs Royal vs M Plus

What Apagard Is: mHAP, Quasi-Drug Status and the Fluoride Question

Sangi Co., Ltd. was founded in Tokyo in 1974; in 1980 it launched Apadent, which Sangi's history calls the world's first hydroxyapatite remineralizing toothpaste, and the Apagard brand followed in 1985. Medicated hydroxyapatite (mHAP), the ingredient all thirteen tubes share, is Sangi's own proprietary material.

Sangi and medicated hydroxyapatite (mHAP), in Sangi's words

In 1993 Japan's former Ministry of Health and Welfare approved Sangi's hydroxyapatite as an active anticaries ingredient, medicated hydroxyapatite, according to Sangi. Sangi describes three actions: it adsorbs and removes the plaque that causes cavities; it fills microscopic scratches on the tooth surface so plaque and stains attach less easily; and it replenishes minerals lost from enamel, remineralizing early demineralized spots (Sangi's term is incipient caries) so they are less likely to progress into cavities. That is the whole mechanism claim, and every word of it is Sangi's. In 2003 Sangi brought the particle down to two-digit nanometers, about 50nm. It does not publish the percentage of mHAP in any tube, so any percentage quoted on a forum is a guess.

What "quasi-drug" means in Japan, and what it does not mean abroad

Every Apagard toothpaste wafuu sells is a quasi-drug (医薬部外品) in Japan, a category between drugs and cosmetics for products with mild action on the body; Sangi's 2023 press material confirms it for the whole lineup, including M Plus, Soft and Apa Kids, whose wafuu pages do not say so.

The approved list is short and fixed. For the adult lines the effects stated by Sangi are identical: whitens teeth; prevents the onset and progression of cavities (caries); prevents gingivitis; prevents periodontal disease (alveolar pyorrhea); purifies the mouth; freshens the mouth; prevents bad breath; removes tobacco tar and stains. Sangi's product pages show no effect list for Apa Kids; Sangi lists medicated hydroxyapatite as its cavity-prevention active ingredient, and that is the only effect stated for it here. Not on any list: sensitivity relief and tartar prevention. "Whitens teeth" means removal of surface stains and plaque so the tooth's own color shows; Sangi's Japanese Q&A says brushing cannot whiten beyond a tooth's natural color and old stains may not come off. It is not bleaching.

Outside Japan the status stops at the border: US rules recognize only fluoride compounds as over-the-counter anticavity actives (21 CFR Part 355), and EU law classes toothpaste as a cosmetic, with hydroxyapatite (nano) assessed for safety, not efficacy.

Fluoride-free, and no ingredient added to abrade

No Apagard contains fluoride; Sangi's brand FAQ says so in one line, and mHAP is the Japan-approved cavity-prevention active in its place. Sangi's position is that both are cavity-prevention actives recognized in Japan, that they act differently, and that mHAP does not change the physical properties of the enamel surface. Nowhere does Sangi rank one above the other. So is fluoride-free a benefit? It is a preference or a fit. Anyone whose dentist has said to keep using fluoride has something to discuss with that dentist, not a switch to make alone. Sangi also states that it adds no ingredient for abrasive purposes; Soft, the gel, lists no silica or calcium phosphate base at all.

Why Apagard Is Sought After Outside Japan

The space connection is smaller than the folklore. Sangi's English company history says it acquired a NASA patent relating to tooth remineralization in 1976 (its brand history dates the start of its own toothpaste development to 1978), and in 2024 it became, by its own account, the first Japanese company inducted into the U.S. Space Foundation's Space Technology Hall of Fame. There is no "NASA technology" in the tube; there is a patent that started a research program.

Scale is the second reason: Sangi's 2023 press release cites Intage SRI+ 2022 data for the top share, by sales value, of Japan's whitening and high-function toothpaste market, and a cumulative 150 million tubes shipped by 2021. The third reason sends people to a Japanese seller: Sangi's export catalogue marks Royal and Soft as Japan-only, its European shop omits Serena and Apa Kids, and the tubes that go abroad are the older, smaller sizes.

wafuu's own numbers show where that demand lands: on wafuu.com, in the 12 months to July 2026, Premio 100g sold 2,221 units (921 in the last 90 days), Royal 135g 580 (255) and Royal 40g 147 (56). The other ten tubes have sold a handful each so far, all of it inside the last 90 days, so wafuu has no longer sales history for them yet.

How to Choose: Five Things That Separate the Seven Lines

Seven lines share one active ingredient, and the six adult lines share one approved effect list, so the differences are formulation details.

mHAP level: Sangi's ordering, not a percentage

Sangi publishes no percentages, so the only usable ranking is Sangi's own. Royal is the highest in the series, twice the mHAP of M Plus and Smokin by Sangi's footnoted comparison. Premio and Premio Extra Mint carry more mHAP than the standard type; Sangi's English FAQ puts the premium type at 1.4 times the mHAP of M Plus and Smokin. M Plus is the standard type and the baseline; Smokin sits at the same tier; Serena, Soft and Apa Kids have no relative figure from Sangi and are not ranked. One caution: a content ratio is not an effect ratio; Sangi's 2x describes what is in the tube, not a result.

Care focus: basic care, tobacco tar, coffee and tea stains, or children

Every adult line, Soft included, carries four quasi-drug actives: mHAP, Macrogol 400, beta-glycyrrhetinic acid (Sangi's periodontal-prevention ingredient) and cetylpyridinium chloride (its gingivitis-prevention ingredient). Smokin adds polyvinylpyrrolidone as a second tobacco-tar removal ingredient, and Royal carries the same five; Serena adds sodium metaphosphate and sodium citrate as cleansing agents for coffee, tea and wine stains. A pearl-derived gloss ingredient, hydrolyzed conchiolin liquid, is in every adult paste line; Sangi added it to M Plus, Smokin, Premio and Royal in 2014 and lists it as a gloss agent, not a polishing agent. Soft and Apa Kids list none. Apa Kids is a low-foam paste for the mixed-dentition years; Apa Kids Gel for first teeth is not on wafuu.

Flavor and texture: mint strength, jasmine, foam or no foam

Flavors as Sangi names them: Premio light mint; Extra Mint a cool, fresh extra mint and the strongest mint in the range; Royal, M Plus and Smokin mild mint (peppermint); Serena jasmine mint; Soft soft mint; Apa Kids ramune (soda-pop) or grape. Texture is the second split: every paste line, Apa Kids included, lists sodium lauryl sulfate as its foaming agent, Soft has no foaming agent and no SLS and is a watery gel, and Apa Kids is low-foam. Points to note: Soft's no-foam texture takes adjustment, Extra Mint is too strong for some, and mild mint means mild.

Tube size and cap: 53g one-touch, 105g two-way, Royal 40g and 135g

Sangi ties cap type to tube size: 53g tubes have a one-touch cap; 105g tubes and M Plus 130g have a two-way cap, one-touch plus screw, that Sangi says makes it easier to squeeze out the last of the paste. Royal 135g is two-way, Royal 40g and Soft 80g one-touch; Sangi does not state the cap type for the 60g Apa Kids tubes. In March 2023 Sangi enlarged the retail tubes: Premio and Smokin 100g to 105g, M Plus 125g to 130g, entry sizes 50g to 53g. wafuu carries Premio in both the 100g tube (the pre-renewal size that Sangi's European shop still lists) and the 105g Japanese retail tube, so check the product page for the size in stock. Per gram, a 53g tube costs more than the larger tube of the same paste, so it is a trial size, and Royal 40g is the highest per-gram price on wafuu.

Price and channel: retail lines vs the mail-order-only Royal

On wafuu's prices at the end of July 2026 the lineup falls into four bands: Apakids 60g, Smokin 53g, Serena 53g, Premio 53g and Apa Kids Grape 60g at the bottom; Royal 40g, Premio 100g, Soft 80g and Serena 105g next; M Plus 130g, Smokin 105g and Premio Extra Mint 105g above them; Royal 135g alone at the top, roughly double Premio 100g per gram. Exchange rates and promotions move the figures, so the product page has today's price. In Japan every line is a store product except Royal, mail-order-only since March 1998.

Quick Comparison: All 7 Apagard Lines at a Glance

Effects shown are Japanese quasi-drug approved effects as stated by Sangi; not an FDA/EU approval and not medical advice.

Where a line has more than one tube on wafuu, the sizes differ in cap and per-gram price, not in formula.

$ marks show relative price position within this lineup only, from lowest ($) to highest ($$$$) — not a fixed amount. Exchange rates and promotions move wafuu's actual prices regularly, so check each product's page on wafuu.com for today's price.

Meet the Lineup: All 13 Apagard Tubes on wafuu

Premio and Royal carry nearly all of wafuu's Apagard volume; the other five lines have sold a handful of tubes each so far. Every tube is a trade-off of some kind.

Premio: the premium type, and the tube most wafuu customers buy

Premio launched in 2008 as Sangi's high-mHAP retail line: more mHAP than the standard type, four actives, the pearl gloss agent and xylitol, in a light mint Sangi calls restrained. On wafuu it is the volume seller, and by a wide margin.

Premium type Best-seller on wafuu 100g/105g

Apagard (Sangi Co., Ltd.)

Apagard Premio Whitening Toothpaste 100g /105g (Sangi XLC2)

Light mint paste with more mHAP than Sangi's standard type, four actives, pearl gloss agent and xylitol; 2,221 units on wafuu in the 12 months to July 2026. Point to note: 100g/105g is the pre-2023 tube size, and it lists sodium lauryl sulfate.

Details

Premium type 53g one-touch

Apagard (Sangi Co., Ltd.)

Apagard Premio 53g Whitening Toothpaste (Sangi XLC2)

The same Premio formula in a one-touch 53g tube for travel or a first trial. Point to note: it costs more per gram than the 100g tube, so it is not the way to buy Premio for daily use.

Details

Premium type 105g 2-way

Apagard (Sangi Co., Ltd.)

Apagard Premio Extra Mint Toothpaste 105g (Sangi XLC2(X))

Premio's mHAP level and four actives with the extra-mint flavor Sangi describes as cool and fresh, in a 105g two-way tube. Point to note: the strongest mint in the range, and the priciest tube in wafuu's Apagard lineup after Royal 135g.

Details

Royal: the high-end type you cannot buy in a Japanese store

Sangi puts Royal at the top of the series: the highest mHAP content, twice that of M Plus and Smokin by Sangi's comparison, mail-order-only in Japan since March 1998, with five actives (the base four plus polyvinylpyrrolidone) and the pearl gloss agent in a mild peppermint. On wafuu it is the second seller; the 80g middle size is not on wafuu.

High-end type Mail-order-only in Japan #2 on wafuu 135g 2-way

Apagard (Sangi Co., Ltd.)

Apagard Royal Toothpaste 135g (Sangi SRC2)

Sangi's highest-mHAP formula, five actives, pearl gloss agent, 135g two-way tube; 580 units on wafuu in the year to July 2026. Point to note: wafuu's priciest Apagard, about double Premio 100g per gram; 2x is a content ratio, not a result.

Details

High-end type Mail-order-only in Japan Trial 40g

Apagard (Sangi Co., Ltd.)

Apagard Royal Toothpaste Whitening Formula 40g (Sangi SRC2)

The same five-active Royal formula in a one-touch 40g tube; 147 units on wafuu in the 12 months to July 2026. Point to note: the highest per-gram price in the lineup, so a trial size; the 80g tube is not on wafuu.

Details

M Plus: the standard type Sangi points first-timers to

M Plus is the baseline: Sangi pitches it to first-time users as a basic formula in a generous tube, and every relative mHAP statement Sangi makes is measured against it. It is a quasi-drug with the same eight approved effects and four actives as Premio, in a mild peppermint; the 130g two-way tube is the Japanese one, the export tube is 125ml.

Standard type 130g 2-way

Apagard (Sangi Co., Ltd.)

Apagard M Plus 130g (Sangi MPC)

Sangi's standard-type formula: four actives, pearl gloss agent, mild peppermint, in the largest retail tube with a two-way cap. Point to note: less mHAP than Premio or Royal in Sangi's ordering, and only a handful of wafuu sales so far.

Details

Smokin: smoker care with two tar-removal ingredients

Smokin is the smoker-care type: Sangi's copy says it dissolves and removes tobacco tar with two tar-removal ingredients, Macrogol 400 and polyvinylpyrrolidone, a five-active paste like Royal at the M Plus mHAP tier, in mild peppermint. wafuu's 53g title says "Tartar Care", but Sangi makes no tartar claim anywhere; the approved claim is tobacco tar and stains.

Smoker care 105g 2-way

Apagard (Sangi Co., Ltd.)

Apagard Smokin Toothpaste 105g (Sangi MSC)

Five actives including Macrogol 400 and PVP for tobacco tar, mHAP at the M Plus tier, mild peppermint, 105g two-way tube. Point to note: built for tobacco stain; coffee and tea stains are Serena's job.

Details

Smoker care 53g one-touch

Apagard (Sangi Co., Ltd.)

Apagard Smokin 53g Whitening Toothpaste for Smokers (Sangi MSC)

The same tobacco-stain formula in a one-touch 53g tube. Point to note: the listing title says tartar care, but Sangi's approved claim is tobacco tar and stain removal, not tartar; the small tube costs more per gram.

Details

Serena: stain care for coffee, tea and wine

Serena, shipping since March 2023, is Sangi's newest line and the stain-care type: sodium metaphosphate and sodium citrate as cleansing agents for coffee, tea and red wine discoloration, four actives, pearl gloss agent, jasmine mint. Sangi publishes no relative mHAP figure for it.

Stain care 105g 2-way

Apagard (Sangi Co., Ltd.)

Apagard Serena 105g (Sangi MSR)

Stain-care paste with sodium metaphosphate and sodium citrate for coffee, tea and wine stains, four actives, jasmine mint, 105g two-way tube. Point to note: jasmine is a taste decision, and Sangi gives Serena no mHAP ranking.

Details

Stain care 53g one-touch

Apagard (Sangi Co., Ltd.)

Apagard Serena 53g Whitening Stain Care Toothpaste (Sangi MSR)

The same jasmine-mint stain-care formula, made in Japan, in a one-touch 53g tube for travel or a first try. Point to note: a trial size at a higher per-gram price, and jasmine mint is not for everyone.

Details

Soft: the non-foaming gel for people who dislike foam and strong mint

Soft is the odd one out: a low-irritation design in Sangi's words, no foaming agent, soft mint, for people who find foam and strong flavors uncomfortable, and the line Sangi recommends during pregnancy. Its ingredient list has no sodium lauryl sulfate, no calcium phosphate or silica base and no pearl agent; it does list xylitol and trehalose. It is still a quasi-drug with the same eight effects and four actives, and Sangi's export catalogue marks it Japan-only.

Non-foaming gel Japan-only line 80g one-touch

Apagard (Sangi Co., Ltd.)

Sangi Apagard Soft 80g (Sangi MG)

Non-foaming soft-mint gel with no foaming agent and no SLS in Sangi's list; the line Sangi recommends for a sensitive mouth and in pregnancy. Point to note: the no-foam feel takes adjustment, and a sensitive mouth is not sensitive teeth.

Details

Apa Kids: low-foam toothpaste for the mixed-dentition years

Apa Kids is Sangi's paste for the years when baby teeth give way to permanent teeth: low-foam so a child can brush it easily, sweetened with xylitol and trehalose in Sangi's description, with mHAP and cetylpyridinium chloride as its two actives, fluoride-free, with no abrasion-purpose ingredients. Sangi's product pages show no effect list for it, so cavity prevention is the only effect stated here. Ramune (soda-pop) is the original flavor in the blue pack; grape, in purple, joined it in September 2020.

Kids Ramune flavor 60g

Apagard (Sangi Co., Ltd.)

Apagard Apakids Toothpaste 60g, Ramune

Low-foam children's paste in the original ramune (soda-pop) flavor, with xylitol, mHAP and CPC actives, no fluoride, for the mixed-dentition years. Point to note: a small 60g tube, and cavity prevention is the only effect stated here.

Details

Kids Grape flavor 60g

Apagard (Sangi Co., Ltd.)

Apagard Apa Kids Grape Anti-Cavity Children's Toothpaste 60g

The grape version of Apa Kids, added in 2020: the same low-foam, fluoride-free paste with xylitol and mHAP + CPC actives. Point to note: where fluoride is the standard advice for children, this is a choice to make with the child's dentist.

Details

Buying Apagard from Japan: Royal, Tube Sizes, Authenticity and Shipping

Why Royal is not on a drugstore shelf

Royal launched in March 1998 as a mail-order-only product and still is one: Sangi's lineup page files it under mail-order-limited products while every other line is a store product, and Sangi's FAQ points buyers to the official SANGI SHOP, which delivers only within Japan. A visitor combing Tokyo drugstores for Royal will not find it; it is sold through Sangi's own shop and through Japanese marketplaces, where it does surface.

Tube sizes, caps and the 100g / 105g question

Sangi's current Japanese sizes: Premio 105g and 53g; Extra Mint 105g and 53g; Royal 135g, 80g and 40g; M Plus 130g and 63g; Smokin 105g and 53g; Serena 105g and 53g; Soft 80g; Apa Kids 60g. wafuu carries Premio in both the 100g tube and the 105g Japanese retail tube, so check the product page for the size in stock. Not on wafuu at the moment: Royal 80g, M Plus 63g and Extra Mint 53g. Caps follow size: 40g, 53g and 63g are one-touch, and so is Soft 80g; Royal 80g, 105g, 130g and 135g are two-way. The March 2023 renewal, Sangi's first in about eight and a half years, enlarged the tubes and swapped the katakana logo for an English one. Export tubes kept the old sizes: Sangi's European shop still lists Premio at 100ml and M Plus at 125ml, while the current Japanese retail tubes are 105g and 130g.

Japanese-market stock and how to recognise it

Sangi sells direct only inside Japan; abroad it works through distributors and marketplaces. Sangi prints a nano mHAP mark on the package of every toothpaste that contains the ingredient, and its English FAQ says the mark assures that the content is genuine; since the March 2023 renewal the Japanese packs carry the English logo in place of the katakana one, and the lot number stamped on each pack lets Sangi confirm the year of manufacture. Sangi's shop FAQ gives a shelf life of three years from manufacture, unopened and under normal storage. wafuu ships from Japan; the product page shows the tube size in stock.

Shipping, storage and first use

Sangi states that Apagard is not classed as dangerous goods for air transport under Japan's Aviation Act, while noting that rules differ by country and carrier; import duties and rules vary by country, so check yours before ordering. The label cautions repeat across the lineup: do not swallow; close the cap tightly; store in a cool place away from sunlight; keep out of reach of infants and children; stop use and consult a dentist or doctor if irritation appears; brush gently, because hard brushing can damage teeth and gums.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Apagard toothpaste should I buy: Premio, Royal, M Plus, Smokin or Serena?
M Plus is the standard type Sangi points first-time users to; Premio has more mHAP in a light mint; Royal is the highest-mHAP line, mail-order-only in Japan, at the highest price; Smokin is for tobacco tar, Serena for coffee, tea and wine stains, Soft for anyone who dislikes foam or strong mint, Apa Kids for the mixed-dentition years. On wafuu, Premio 100g is the volume seller and Royal 135g is second.

What is the difference between Apagard Premio and Apagard Royal?
Royal has the highest mHAP content in the series, twice that of M Plus and Smokin by Sangi's comparison, five actives (it adds polyvinylpyrrolidone), and mail-order-only status in Japan. Premio has more mHAP than the standard type, four actives, xylitol, and Japanese retail distribution. Both are fluoride-free with the same eight approved effects; the 2x is a content ratio, not a promised result, and Royal 135g costs about double Premio 100g per gram on wafuu.

Does Apagard contain fluoride, and can I use it alongside a fluoride toothpaste?
No Apagard contains fluoride; Sangi's FAQ states it directly, and mHAP is the Japan-approved cavity-prevention active in its place. Whether to keep fluoride in the routine is a question for a dentist, especially for anyone who is cavity-prone.

Does Apagard Royal have 10% nano-hydroxyapatite?
Sangi does not disclose the percentage of mHAP in any of its toothpastes; its English FAQ says so in those words. The official statements are relative: highest in the series, twice M Plus and Smokin. The particle is nano-sized, two-digit nanometers since 2003 per Sangi, and any specific percentage circulating online is unofficial.

How much Apagard should I use, and should I rinse after brushing?
Sangi's Japanese guidance is about 1cm on the brush, careful brushing with no fixed time and particular care before bed, then rinsing until the mouth feels comfortable. Sangi's English pages say 1 to 1.5cm, 3 to 5 minutes, after meals where possible, then a light rinse and spit so residue stays in the saliva. Per Sangi's Q&A, a mouthwash afterwards is fine; crowns and implants that are brushed like natural teeth can be brushed with it, while fully removable dentures need the cleaner a dentist recommends; and electric toothbrushes are fine, subject to the brush's own manual.

Can children use Apagard, and what if some is swallowed?
Sangi's rule is that a child who can spit out after brushing can use it; Apa Kids (ramune or grape, low-foam) covers the mixed-dentition years, and Apa Kids Gel for first teeth is not on wafuu. Toothpaste is not meant to be swallowed; Sangi says a small amount swallowed accidentally while brushing is not a problem, but not to swallow it on purpose. Where fluoride is the standard pediatric recommendation, a fluoride-free toothpaste for a child is a decision for the child's dentist.

Does Apagard whiten teeth, and how long does it take?
"Whitens teeth" is one of the Japanese approved effects, meaning removal of surface stains and plaque so the tooth's own color and gloss show. Sangi's Japanese Q&A says brushing cannot lighten a tooth beyond its natural color, that long-accumulated stains may not come off, and that the pearl ingredient is a gloss agent. Sangi gives no timeline. It is not bleaching, and Sangi's English FAQ adds that dentures and other artificial teeth, not being enamel, cannot be remineralized.

Is Apagard good for sensitive teeth?
Sensitivity relief is not among the Japanese approved effects of any Apagard line, so no tube here is sold for it. Soft is for a sensitive mouth, one that reacts to foam and strong flavor, which is a different thing from sensitive teeth. Anyone with tooth sensitivity should ask a dentist before switching toothpaste.

Is there an SLS-free or non-foaming Apagard?
Every paste line, Premio through Serena, lists sodium lauryl sulfate as its foaming agent. Soft has no foaming agent and no SLS in Sangi's full ingredient list; it is a non-foaming gel. Apa Kids is a low-foam paste that does list SLS; Apa Kids Gel, Sangi's low-foaming gel for first teeth, is not on wafuu.

How do I know my Apagard is authentic?
Sangi sells direct only inside Japan and reaches other countries through distributors and marketplaces. Sangi's English FAQ says the nano mHAP mark printed on the package assures that the content is genuine, and the lot number on each pack lets Sangi confirm the year of manufacture. Royal is a mail-order-only line in Japan, not a store product. wafuu ships from Japan.

Final Verdict

Premio 100g is the tube most wafuu customers buy: more mHAP than the standard type, light mint, retail price. Royal 135g if you want Sangi's highest mHAP and accept the per-gram cost; Royal 40g to try it first. M Plus 130g for a first tube or the largest retail size. Smokin for tobacco tar, Serena for coffee, tea and wine stains, Soft if foam or strong mint is the problem or, per Sangi, during pregnancy, and Apa Kids for the mixed-dentition years. Every line is fluoride-free with the same Japanese approved effects (Apa Kids: cavity prevention); they differ by mHAP level, care ingredients, flavor, tube and channel, not by any promised result. The full range is in the Apagard collection on wafuu; check the product page for today's price and the tube size in stock, and if cavities, gum problems or a child's toothpaste are in play, ask a dentist first.