Scientists develop robot that can brush, rinse and floss teeth

Do you ever wish that somebody else could brush your teeth for you in the morning or at bedtime?

Well, what if that someone was a robot?

It might sound like science fiction but researchers have created a robotic system which they claim can clean teeth.

Not only that, the inventors say the tiny bots can brush, rinse and floss teeth - all at the same time!

What do you think? Would you let a robot brush your teeth? Let us know in the comments below!

What did scientists do?

The robots can also perform other dental activities such as flossing, as well as brushing

Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania in America created the robotic system, which is magnetic and made from iron.

By using a magnetic field, researchers were able to shapeshift the tiny bots to transform into a variety of shapes.

They could form either bristle-like structures - like a toothbrush - which could brush teeth, as well as form long string-like shapes that could slip between the teeth like a length of dental floss.

They also were able to get the system to act like a mouthwash by rinsing teeth and getting rid of bacteria too!

The team carried out experiments on both false teeth and real human teeth and found the micro-bots could brush all kinds of teeth.

Professor Hyun Koo, who co-authored the study said: "It doesn't matter if you have straight teeth or misaligned teeth, it will adapt to different surfaces.

"The system can adjust to all the nooks and crannies," he added.

Experts say the bots could be particularly helpful for the elderly or people with disabilities, who may have trouble using their hands and find it difficult to clean their teeth themselves.