Kids are stuck at home with school cancelled for the year so apps are among parents’ current superheroes in keeping them occupied once the online learning is done. It is even better when these apps provide educational content. “iPad time” and screen time becomes beneficial when your child learns and interacts with the world, even if it’s in the form of digital pixels.
Instilling good habits is part of every child’s education, too, of course. And one of the most important habits is brushing!
There are a few apps that we recommend that make brushing interactive and fun! We love when someone recommends a great new app that makes our life easier in some way and we hope one or more of the following does that for you.
Philips Sonicare for Kids
This is first on our list because parents love it! And for good reason! Available for both Android (Play Store) and iOS (App Store), this app teaches and incentivizes your child to brush longer and better.
What it does:
- Presents new features as your child brushes daily
- Better brushing techniques
- Awards for brushing
- Healthy food tips
- Reminders from parents to kids if your child forgets to brush
This app connects to your child’s Sonicare for Kids via bluetooth so you must have the special toothbrush for this to work. But, trust us, it’s pretty awesome.
Brush DJ
Developed by a dentist, this is an app for all ages! It’s available for Android and iOS.
What it does:
- Toothbrush timer
- Plays 2 minutes of music from your phone: you can use music from your cloud or any streaming services
- Reminders for brushing, flossing, mouthwash, changing your toothbrush, dentist visits
- Animations to teach your child how to brush, how to floss, and so on
Disney Magic Timer by Oral-B
If your child loves Disney, this is the app for you. Available for both Android and iOS, too. It was also featured as a Best New App for kids in the App Store.
What it does:
- A brushing calendar
- A customizable brusher profile
- Stickers in their profile’s albums
- A Disney brushing timer, with so many choices for your child to pick their favorite character (pretty much everyone’s here, from Disney cartoons and princesses to superheroes)
Note that you need Crest or Oral-B Pro-Health products to scan to use the app. The toothbrushes we provide to you in the office for your youngsters should work with the app.
This app also has in-app purchases but you don’t need to spend any money in the app so long as you have an Oral B toothbrush or toothpaste to scan with your phone camera. The app has parent control features though to make sure kids aren’t spending money in the app without your permission.
Have fun with these. We know our kids have loved playing with these apps.
About Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan
Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan has specialized in pediatric dentistry and orthodontics since 1968. Our family-friendly and newly renovated office gives patients and families a more comfortable and consistent experience with dentistry from the very beginning. Our pediatric dentists treat children from newborn to 18 years of age while our orthodontists provide care for both children and adults and are proud to be Premier Providers of Invisalign and Invisalign Teen services. We have the ability to treat all patients with compassion and individuality, including those that may have special needs as we have treatment rooms available for children who require additional privacy and customized care options. We pioneered valued hospital affiliations to allow dental services to be performed at DMC Children’s Hospital and St. John Macomb Hospital, when appropriate or necessary, and our specialists are also proud to be on staff at Henry Ford and Beaumont hospitals.
