Adults will know that one of the greatest challenges of parenthood is installing healthy lifetime habits during the education of their children. Convincing them to often and correctly brush their teeth used to be seen as a cornerstone of patience and parental effort. Not anymore.
Philips Sonicare for Kids Connected came up with a new approach that puts parents at ease and drives children into gear when it comes to maintaining a solid mouth health. This is achieved by using the latest technology from Philips Sonicare: a Bluetooth toothbrush that connects to any Android or iOS device using the free-to-download Philips app. A friendly, furry monster from the app advices and monitors your children's washing program, making sure it happens at least twice daily. Somewhat reminding of former digital pets, it gives positive reinforcement and reacts gently when is being stroked.
The electronics producer found out that one reason why children dread brushing their teeth is because there's almost zero visibility and understanding of what they are actually doing. Therefore, there is no feeling of accomplishment for them to enjoy. The app changes that completely; the little human sees the teeth on the screen and observes the progress when destroying bacterial creatures, just like in a computer game. With the help of the visual representation, it is easy to make sure that all the teeth are properly tended to. At the end of the two minutes of brushing, there is a "boss fight" with the bacteria king and once he is vanquished, the process ends.
To create value for the children, Philips gamified the experience and is even offering achievements, badges and other gifts to keep the interest level high. The aim is to get them all, which can be done by brushing twice a day for a couple of consecutive months. After this time, it is likely that the healthy routine becomes embedded in the lives of the young ones.
There is a special app destined for iOS that acts as a parental dashboard, where adults can track the progress of their child. Useful scenarios are, for instance, when children are away in a school trip or when parents have a babysitter over. Additional rewards can be customized and unlocked after a consistent number of brushings.
To appeal even more to children, Philips designed the toothbrush in a colorful way. Having its own recharge stand, it can deliver 500 brush strokes per second and has two speeds. This is useful especially in the beginning of the program, when the child is not yet accustomed to the sensation. The price of the toothbrush is around $50, which very little when you consider it a lifetime investment in the dental health.
