Brace Face, Metal Mouth

"Hey, Brace face!" "Look, there's metal mouth," teased the cruel kids whenever someone got braces at my school. That can't have been much fun, especially as the braces were often in place for several years. The teasing has mostly stopped, though; so many kids get braces now; it's just one of those things, nothing of note.

In fact, in Thailand, braces are something of a status symbol and a fashion item- many of those who buy this 'metal' for the mouth have no need to become a 'brace face' at all. Many of these Thai teenagers are purchasing their braces from beauty salons, shopping malls and street markets and then having them fitted in unhygienic conditions using sub-standard equipment. This can lead to serious health problems- one Thai youngster has died of sepsis thought to be a result of such a 'back-yard procedure.

Thai authorities, attempting a crack down, have banned the importation of some products and threatened unlicensed  dentists with prison terms of up to 3 years. That won't stop many of the sellers though; some are earning 20,000 a day- that's twice the average monthly salary. And with that level of earning you can be sure that they will be smiling a big, perfect, pearly smile.