Remineralizing toothpaste from Sangi Co., Ltd has been inducted into the U.S. Space Technology Hall of Fame. The product was inspired by NASA technology and contains Medical Hydroxyapatite, an ingredient that prevents tooth decay.
The award was announced during the 2024 Space Symposium in Colorado Springs from April 8 to 11. The Space Technology Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization that recognizes outstanding developments in space technology.
Sangi is the first Japanese company to win this award and they are known for their products APAGARD®, a brand of high-performance whiteness enhancing toothpaste, and APADENT®, a long-selling medicated toothpaste.
Shuji Sakuma, Sangi’s founder and current chairman, was inspired by NASA technology when he decided to put hydroxyapatite into toothpaste. NASA’s Electronics Research Center developed technology to protect astronauts from mineral loss in a gravity-free environment by producing hydroxyapatite, the main component of teeth and bones, via a chemical reaction in the mouth from its precursor brushite.
