The Philips Sonicare range of electric toothbrushes has been around for a while, but the latest version represents a real advance. This is a Bluetooth toothbrush that can connect to any Android or iOS device via the free Philips app. There’s a wee, furry monster inside the app who prompts children to brush at least twice a day. It’s a kind of digital pet, and it will also react to being prodded and stroked.
One of the reasons that kids hate to brush their teeth so often is because they can’t see inside their mouths and they don’t necessarily understand the benefit. With the Philips Sonicare for Kids Connected, when kids start to brush they see the inside of a mouth that has a set of filthy teeth. By brushing in different areas they can clean away the grime and the bacteria creatures that pop up. This helps to ensure they brush evenly and get every tooth.
Towards the end of the recommended two minutes they’ll see the king bacteria creature and once he has been successfully dispatched, they’ve completed the brushing. In essence, Philips has gamified the experience, with children further earning badges and rewards for successful brushing. To fully complete the app and get all the rewards, they’ll have to successfully brush twice a day for several months. The idea is that if they reach that achievement, they’ll have learned how to brush properly and the habit will have become ingrained, so there’ll be no more need to nag them.
The companion Sonicare For Kids app (available for iOS) also has a parent dashboard, allowing you to check up on your child’s progress and confirm that they have actually brushed when they say they have. This can be especially handy when Granny is babysitting and you want to know the teeth were brushed properly in your absence. You can also set specific rewards, like a cinema trip or a toy, to motivate them to go after those achievement badges.
The brush itself comes with a charging stand and features a colorful design. It’s capable of 500 brush strokes per second, so you know your kids are getting a real cleaning. It’s also an affordable device at around $50. That’s an investment well worth making if it can assist in instilling good oral hygiene habits in your children.
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