http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/05/08/national/national_30072593.php

FDA warns of cheap and fashionable teeth braces

The Food and Drug Administration has warned that some cheap but fashionable teeth braces popular among youngsters are contaminated with lead, selenium, chromium and arsenic.

If the dangerous substances accumulate in the body, they can cause kidney failure and even death, says Deputy Public Health Minister Chaovarat Chanweerakul. He warns that some braces available outside dental clinics and hospitals are made with substandard materials and can cause an accumulation of toxins.

— Orthodontic braces are such a status symbol in Thailand that some young people who don't need them, or whose families can't afford the real thing, buy and proudly wear these potentially dangerous fakes —