Magic Mouth is a game designed to improve dental hygiene in children from low socioeconomic backgrounds. It uses a toothbrush attachment with sensors that syncs to a mobile app where players brush virtual teeth to defeat monster bacteria. By directly linking physical brushing motions to in-game outcomes, it teaches proper technique while motivating children through gameplay. The game will be provided to dental clinics serving low-income areas to ensure accessibility. Recordings of gameplay can also track patients' improving habits over time to benefit their dental care. Magic Mouth uniquely embodies brushing motions within the virtual world to create a meaningful link between real and simulated actions.

1.
1
GROUP
2
MAGIC MOUTH - FOSTERING GOOD DENTAL
HYGIENE THROUGH PLAY
Team
Members:
Aeloch
Kim
–
Teacher’s
College
Joan
Cejudo
–
Teacher’s
College
Samarth
Raut
–
Teacher’s
College
Mabel
Zhuang
–
Teacher’s
College
Vivian
Peng
–
Teacher’s
College

2. Team Moose: Magic Mouth
1. What is the need or problem?
It is crucial to foster good dental hygiene habits starting at a young age. All dentists
encourage brushing at least twice a day and routine flossing to maintain a healthy mouth. Kids as
young as age two can start to brush their teeth on their own and develop good dental hygiene
practices.
Children of low socioeconomic status (SES) are more likely to have dental-related issues.
According to a 2010 survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
about a quarter of children aged 3-5 and 6-9 living in poverty have untreated dental cavities.
2013 data from the Kaiser Family Foundation also show that children of low income are more
than twice as likely to have untreated tooth decay. African American and Hispanic children have
elevated rates of tooth decay compared to white children. To tackle the disproportionate rate of
tooth decay in low-income children, we propose a game that aims to improve on current
preventative interventions at the physician-patient level. Our game will be used to foster good
dental habits at a young age while simultaneously motivating kids to brush their teeth through
gaming mechanics.
2. How does your solution address this problem?
Magic Mouth approaches the problem from two angles: 1.) how to motivate children to
practice good tooth brushing habits and 2.) how to bring the intervention to children with low
SES. We will incorporate behavioral change theories such as embodied cognition theory and
social cognitive theory in our game design to promote desirable behavior changes. To ensure that
these children can access our intervention, we will provide the technology to dental offices in
low-SES neighborhoods. Children can then use the technology during dental visits to adopt
proper tooth brushing techniques.
We address children’s lack of motivation and instruction of proper brushing techniques
using gamification principles. We envision a bluetooth gyroscope/accelerometer attachment for a
toothbrush which will sync to a mobile application. Magic Mouth presents a virtual, animated
mouth with an avatar that is controlled by the player’s physical toothbrush. The game’s objective
is to get rid of monster bacteria by brushing them away. Proper brushing techniques will be
evaluated by the speed and direction of the brush as measured by the integrated gyroscope and
accelerometer. In embodied cognition theory, learning is enhanced through the player’s
embodiment of his avatar’s actions and goals within the constraints of the virtual world. (De
Koning and Tabbers, 2011). Applying this theory to Magic Mouth, the player is embodied within
his or her avatar, and kills the monsters invading the mouth. How the player is brushing directly
impacts which monsters are eliminated creating a sense of meaningful play and providing instant
feedback to the player. The player can see how his brushing affects the outcome of the game, and
the timer shows how long he or she has been brushing.
Using a digital mobile application makes it easy to record user data and keep track of
improvements in dental hygiene habits. This information is useful to the child’s dentist who can
sync patient records with data from the patient’s gameplay. The game provides various levels of
difficulty to customize dental instruction for children of different ages and keep them engaged
and motivated to play.

3. 3. How is your solution unique in its application?
There are few applications and games available on the market that educate the user on
teeth brushing and other dental hygiene practices. For example, Colgate has a game that allows
users to practice brushing techniques on a virtual 3D mouth with a virtual toothbrush. However,
since the interactions in these applications are limited to the virtual screen, the behaviors learned
in the game are kept in an abstract reality. In Magic Mouth, we transform this gap by having the
player navigate the virtual space through his/her mouth with his or her actual toothbrush. The
sensor technology allows the user to directly impact what is going on in the game screen and
affect the outcome of the game.
Figure 1: Screen shot of game at play
Magic Mouth Trailer: http://youtu.be/dcpd2pvZnr0
References:
De Koning, B.B. ,Tabbers, H.K. (2011).Facilitating Understanding of Movements in Dynamic
Visualizations: An Embodied Perspective Educational Psychology Review
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10648-011-9173-8
Gee, J. P. (2007). Why Are Video Games Good For Learning?. In S. de Castell & Jensen (Eds.),
Worlds in Play (323-336). New York, NY: Lang.
Oral and Dental Health. (2013, May 30).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved
November 3, 2013, from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/dental.htm