Tajiks ban gold teeth

Dushanbe, Tajikistan - In a country where most of the people are living below the poverty line, gold teeth is certainly a no-no among government personnel. Tajikistani president Emomali Rakhmonov is set to ban state employees from wearing gold teeth to improve his country's image.

Rakhmonov announced his decision after meeting a teacher with a mouth full of gold teeth during a visit to a school in Dushanbe.

"Teachers complain about small salaries, but still wear golden teeth," he said, "How can international organizations believe in your poverty, when the mouth of a teacher is full of gold? This is not due to our culture and traditions."

Sources said that should Rakhmonov implement the new ruling an estimated 50% of state officials will have to resign or have their teeth replaced.

Gold and silver are traditionally considered a sign of affluence in Central Asian countries.