Photos: Senegal Women have their gums tattooed black to improve their smiles

Women in Senegal are their quest for beautiful smiles to extreme levels - by tattooing their gums black. They claim the procedure gives a whiter smile andprotects the gums and stops bad breath. The mixture is a combination of burnt oil and shea butter pressed into the gums before a needle is repeatedly pricked into it.

Mariéme  tells the interviewer: 'It hurts. I would never recommend this torture to anyone.'However, despite the pain she says she is more than happy with the results.