appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

liveArticle

appConfig

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sectionsV2

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

json

Zoey Zhang

A woman in China who suffered ongoing pain after having the wrong tooth extracted then reinserted has been found dead after plunging from a hospital roof.
The 34-year-old woman, surnamed Wu, from Anhui province in eastern China, underwent a wisdom tooth extraction at the Anqing Municipal Hospital on March 12.
The hospital, founded in 1938, is known for its dental department, and is key facility in the city.
Doctors mistakenly removed a healthy tooth then forcibly stuffed the incorrectly extracted tooth back in place.
Wu’s brother told the mainland media outlet Jimu News that the doctor used wire to tie the wrong tooth along with several others.

“For an hour and a half of the surgery, they did not use anaesthesia, and my sister endured it,” he added.
As a result, Wu’s teeth were damaged, her face swollen, and she was unable to eat, only managing to drink water for days. The pain also kept her up at night.
Her brother said Wu had reported the issue to the authorities several times, but no one responded.
Wu also shared a tearful video on social media, recounting her painful experience.
She said the doctor apologised after realising the wrong tooth was removed but later denied his mistake when she returned to the hospital to confront him.
Wu accused the doctor of altering her medical records to avoid blame and suggesting a dental implant to “save the tooth”.
She also said that the hospital repeatedly asked her to delete the video.
In the video, Wu said: “No one really addressed this incident. The hospital lied to me from start to finish, causing me immense suffering. Who will save me? Because of the harm this hospital caused, I will die here.”
On March 17, Wu returned to the hospital to negotiate the matter, but later fell from the 11th floor, resulting in her death.
Wu’s husband told China Newsweek that the police had ruled out any criminal charges.
One of Wu’s relatives said she was generally in good physical and mental health.
“Wu had repeatedly reported the issue to the hospital and authorities, but nothing was done. This broke her psychological defences, and she said she would use death to prove her innocence,” the relative said.
Wu’s family has rejected the hospital’s offer of 100,000 yuan (US$14,000) in compensation and demanded to see surveillance footage of the rooftop plunge.
Hospital staff confirmed that the doctor involved has been suspended, and that both the health commission and police are investigating the matter.

A dentist unconnected with the incident said that the wrong tooth extraction was due to an error in the doctor involved’s judgment, which is rare and qualifies as a medical accident.
Lawyer Zhu Xue from Beijing Celue Law Firm said that if the doctor is found responsible for the medical accident, the hospital would be liable for civil compensation and could face administrative penalties.
The story has made headlines on mainland social media, amassing more than 100 million views.
One online observer said: “Tooth pain can be unbearable. Just imagining Wu’s situation is terrifying.”
“Though death is not the right answer, I hope the law can clear Wu’s name,” said another.
If you are having suicidal thoughts, or you know someone who is, help is available. For Hong Kong, dial +852 2896 0000 for The Samaritans or +852 2382 0000 for Suicide Prevention Services. In the US, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org For a list of other nations’ helplines, see this page.


Quirky China: robot plays dead for pesticide warnings; bot hugs girl, in-car toilet approved

Chinese man makes history as first educator from mainland university to lead top US institute

Death of China celebrity cat leads to hospital compensation, benefits 1,100 stray felines

China trend of AI replicas of exes sparks debates about emotional cheating, attachment

Trending in China

Chinese woman dies in hospital plunge after tooth extraction blunder causes ‘immense’ pain

A woman in China who suffered “immense” pain after a botched tooth extraction has died after plunging from a hospital roof. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin

An X-ray of Wu’s mouth shows the damage that was done to her during the procedure. Photo: Douyin

Wu suffered unbearable pain which her relatives said “broke her psychological defences”. Photo: Douyin

Brotherly love: China boy’s daily ritual of caring for sister with partly amputated leg lauded

A boy in China has been commended for assisting his older sister, who has a partially amputated leg, in returning home every day. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin

Jiajia, above, experienced a serious road accident in 2016, which left both of her feet severely injured and part of her left foot was amputated. Photo: Douyin

The two walk a short distance to catch a connecting bus home as they chat happily. Photo: Douyin

Not only does the boy take care of his sister at home, but he also frequently spends time playing with her outside. Photo: Douyin

Outrage as boy urinates in glass at China eatery, mum says ‘he could not hold it’

Shocked diners at a restaurant in China were forced to look on as a toddler stood up from his high chair and urinated in a glass. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Douyin

Restaurant bosses initially accused people who complained of being “troublemakers” then offered them a refund. Photo: Baidu

The latest urination incident comes weeks after a similar case at a famous chain eatery in China. Photo: Shutterstock

China restaurant sells half chicken ‘raised on music, milk’ for US$66, triggers online taunts

A restaurant in China has sparked sarcasm online after it claimed that an expensive chicken dish is costly because the birds used are raised listening to music and drinking milk. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Jimu


The chickens used are raised on a farm which specialises in the distinctive flower. Photo: ctdsb.net

The cost of a dish which uses a whole chicken can reach as much as US$140. Photo: ctdsb.net

Online observers said that the price reflected the term “Shanghai currency”, which is used to describe the high prices paid in restaurants, like the one above, in the city . Photo: Shutterstock 

China couple yearning for son have 9 girls, all named with character ‘di’, hoping for a boy

A Chinese couple, longing for a son, welcomed nine daughters over 20 years, all named with the character “di”, meaning “brother”, reflecting traditional beliefs in son preference in China. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin

Despite their hardships as poor farmers, the father made it a priority to ensure that all of his daughters completed their education. Photo: Douyin

The family’s experiences illustrate a deep-seated cultural preference for male children, especially in rural communities. Photo: Douyin

Traditional perspectives on son preference have been evolving over recent decades, as daughters can now command a significant bride price that men are required to pay upon marriage. Photo: Douyin

Quirky Chinese customs in treating guests – enough means more, less tea, more wine

China has specific customs for hosting and being a guest, if unsure, it is wise to learn these etiquettes to fit in smoothly. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Sohu

Chinese hosts typically serve tea in cups that are not filled to the brim as a considerate measure to prevent scalding in the event of a spill. Photo: Shutterstock

The most distinguished guests are usually seated farthest from the door, which signifies the host’s respect for them, while the host takes the seat closest to the entrance. Photo: Shutterstock

Guests should refrain from bringing pears, as the word for pear sounds like “splitting” in Chinese. Photo: Shutterstock

The custom of not praising other people’s children stems from a cultural inclination towards humility. Photo: Shutterstock

News

People & Culture

Doctors remove wrong tooth then stuff rogue denture back in place using wire, leading ‘healthy’ woman’s face to swell up


Doctors remove wrong tooth then stuff rogue denture back in place using wire, leading ‘healthy’ woman’s face to swell up.


Mental health

Chinese woman dies in hospital plunge after tooth extraction blunder causes ‘immense’ pain

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Doctors remove wrong tooth then stuff rogue denture back in place using wire, leading ‘healthy’ woman’s face to swell up

Doctors remove wrong tooth then stuff rogue denture back in place using wire, leading ‘healthy’ woman’s face to swell up