Braces may be an U.S. teenager's nightmare, but in Thailand they are considered a fashion accessory among teens, according to a story in the Global Post. But there is a deadly side to the so-called "fashion braces" that are so popular with Thai girls.
Teens who can't afford to go to a real dentist for these braces will often get them put on in flea markets and living rooms by entrepreneurs using mail-order dental supplies, the Post reported. Dangers include blood poising, infected dental tools, nerve damage, and swallowing dislodged fittings, according to Thailand's Dental Council.
The Thai Ministry of Public Health has been issuing warnings against this underground trend for five years. The "bad braces" have been blamed for two teen deaths last year, according to the story.
Yet the trend persists.
"We just think they're cute. Nice and cute," Supapich Konkayan, a 22-year-old student sporting a smile with metal wiring and electric purple fittings said in the story. "Some of us have real dental problems. And for others it's just, well, fashion."
