What’s the Best Dentist Near You? This App + Your Smartphone 

Metric apps are all the rage these days. You can measure the steps you take with Fitbit, keep track of your sleep habits with Sleep Cycle, and pay attention to your diet with FatSecret. In fact, about 31 percent of consumers use apps to track their health and fitness, food, diet, sleep and moods, according to a Rocketfuel survey.

But what about the germs in your mouth? Turns out you don’t need to wait for your next routine checkup or teeth cleaning to get an idea of what’s happening with your teeth.

Your Smartphone: When Dentist Meets Breathalyzer

Say hello to Mint, a small device you can put into your mouth and get a detailed, data driven picture of your oral health through your smartphone.

“Think breathalyzer meets quantified self,” Jennifer Kite-Powell describes in Forbes.

“You effortlessly breathe into the device for about three seconds and then Mint gives you an oral health card so to speak — from A to F – you can read on your smartphone.”

Dentistry and Health

You can see how well you brush, whether or not you have bad breath, and how healthy your mouth is. Better yet, you can use the app to track your progress if you’re looking to up your brushing and flossing habits.

And that’s good news not only for your mouth, but also your overall health. Recent science indicates healthy teeth also indicates healthier heart and body.