Pokemon Smile is a handy AR game that teaches healthy tooth brushing habits

Pokemon Smile is a free app that aims to make brushing your teeth a fun activity while encouraging children to develop healthy brushing habits.

Basically, it's an AR game that judges your technique, allowing you to catch Pokemon and defeat cavity-causing bacteria while brushing away. You'll be guided through the entire process, with each brief playthrough prompting you to brush all areas of your mouth.

You can opt to receive a notification from the game up to three times a day to remind you that it's time for another brush. You can also set the duration of each session, from one minute to three minutes.

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There are currently over 100 Pokemon to collect, which should keep you coming back for at least a little while. Decorative headwear can also be collected and displayed on your head while you brush.

It should be noted that Smile is no miracle product, and "it does not guarantee that children will gain a liking for brushing their teeth or make it a habit". I do enjoy that that they had to clear that up.

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It's a nice idea, and even though I'm probably a good 20 years older than the target demographic, I know that I'll be giving it a go this evening. Pokemon Smile is now available for download as a free-to-play game from over on the App Store and Google Play. More info can be found on Pokemon's official site.