Weird Plush Dolls Teach Japanese Children How To Brush Their Teeth [Photo]

Need some help teaching your children how to brush their teeth? A Japanese company is using characters from a popular anime to show kids the proper way to maintain a healthy smile.

According to Kotaku, popular characters among Japanese children have recently been outfitted with a set of chompers in order to teach kids the ways of proper oral hygiene. While the dolls are likely to assist parents in their endeavors, they are a little unsettling to look at head-on.

Doraemon and Dorami, two characters who are reportedly adored by Japanese youngsters, are now available with brushable teeth. If children weren’t terrified of the plush dolls beforehand, then there’s a slight chance they could walk away from the experience with plenty of unpleasant mental scars.

DannyChoo explains Japanese children are occasionally freaked out by brushing their teeth. In order to calm their fears, companies often insert teeth into the mouths of otherwise adorable plush toys.

Another like-minded aid resembles a puppet sporting one seriously demented smile. Even creepier is that the doll’s gaping maw is stuffed with a complete set of teeth.

“The teeth are inside this smiling head so that the kids don’t need to be scared while listening to how to brush their teeth,” the product’s tagline reads.

While there are a number of visual aids and books available to help children master the art at an early age, some kids may benefit from having something more hands-on to work with before tackling the technique themselves.

Some kids and adults suffer from an unusual phobia called Odontarrupophobia, which is defined as a fear of brushing one’s teeth. The term is also used to describe the fear of toothbrushes.

A handful of images featuring weird blush dolls and their unsettling teeth have been included below.

Do you think these toys help teach children how to brush their teeth?