I remember the days when I used to wear braces and over-sized glasses. Believe me when I tell you, those were NOT good days. In fact I'd like to delete those awkward adolescent days completely from my memory. So you can imagine how shocked and confused I was when I found out about the trend in South Asia where kids are wearing fake braces with colorful rubberbands and other accessories to make a fashion statement.
This makes absolutely no sense to me–and I'll tell you why.
While I was being picked on throughout middle school for my metal mouth (despite the fact that my dentist dad hooked me up with porcelain braces), teens these days are using braces as fashion…
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And these aren't your usual braces either. These teens are purchasing fake metal braces and accessorizing them with colorful rubberbands and designs including flowers, Hello Kitty, and Mickey Mouse, all at around $100. Isn't that just nuts?
Apparently in countries like Bangkok, Thailand, and Indonesia, braces symbolize high status and prestige. Genuine orthodontic braces can be expensive, costing you anywhere around $1,200, which is not exactly affordable for the average family living in these areas. So if you can actually afford to give your kid braces, you're considered to be somewhat well off.
Now here's the downside: according to Oddity Central, fake braces can actually be quite dangerous. Unlike regular braces, these can easily slip off and as a result either slip into the throat or irritate the gums and the inside of the mouth, resulting in sores. According to a news source, two Thai teens have already died from wearing fake braces. One caught a thyroid infection, which eventually lead to fatal heart failure. In response to the deaths, the Thai government has been trying to ban the production and sale of fake fashion braces in Thailand, with a punishment of up to 6 months in prison for anyone who manufactures or attempts to sell them.
One of the reasons also being that many of wires found in these braces have been containing lead, which leads to any array of other serious health issues. But unfortunately, the government's serious measures have only lead to a growing underground fake braces black market.
When I think of braces, I think of the days when I couldn't eat pizza, spaghetti, or any other kinds of foods that could embarrassingly get caught in my wires. I think of my extremely awkward first kiss (ugh), swollen lips and my terrible school portraits. So sorry, but this is definitely a trend I'll NEVER understand!
Image via Thinkstock
