PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing.

Free Pokemon Smile App Launches to Make Toothbrushing Fun

Collect over 100 Pokemon, wear augmented reality Pokemon hats while you brush, and become a Brushing Master by brushing your teeth regularly.

 & Matthew Humphries Former Senior Editor

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

Our Expert
LOOK INSIDE PC LABS HOW WE TEST
65 EXPERTS
43 YEARS
41,500+ REVIEWS

The popularity of Pokemon with children is being put to good use to help parents encourage them to brush their teeth well and regularly.

Announced today by The Pokemon Company, Pokemon Smile is a free app for iOS and Android devices that uses augmented reality to make toothbrushing more fun. As the app page describes, "Players can partner up with some of their favorite Pokemon to defeat the cavity-causing bacteria and save captured Pokemon. Only by consistently brushing their teeth can they save all the Pokemon, earning the chance to catch them."

As you'd expect from any Pokemon game, the aim is to catch 'em all, and Pokemon Smile is no exception. There's over 100 Pokemon included, all of which can be captured through building up a habit of brushing daily. There's also Pokemon Caps to collect, which are hats you can wear while brushing using the augmented reality feature of the app.

Regular burshing earns Brushing Awards, which eventually leads to your kids becoming Brushing Masters. Along the way, the app will provide tips to improve brushing technique compiled from dental professionals, and there's a number of supervision features including notifications signaling it's time to brush, and duration timers that can be set by a guardian.

Pokemon Smile is free to download and use. It will work on any device running Android 6.0 or later, and iOS 11.0 or later.

Further Reading

Mobile App Reviews

About Our Expert

Matthew Humphries

Matthew Humphries

Former Senior Editor

My Experience

I started working at PCMag in November 2016, covering all areas of technology and video game news. Before that I spent nearly 15 years working at Geek.com as a writer and editor. I also spent the first six years after leaving university as a professional game designer working with Disney, Games Workshop, 20th Century Fox, and Vivendi.

I hold two degrees: a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and a Master's degree in Games Development. My first book, Make Your Own Pixel Art, is available from all good book shops.

My Areas of Expertise

  • PC components and system building
  • Raspberry Pi
  • Software development
  • Storage technology
  • Video games and gaming hardware

Read full bio