Injuries — bruises and fractures of the arms or legs — are often companions of active summer leisure. These injuries are fairly common among e-scooter riders, but there's also a noticeable rise in people experiencing difficulties related to dental injuries.
Dental surgeons note that serious dental injuries often happen while operating two-wheeled vehicles. They are accompanied by head injuries, blows to the facial area and jaw fractures.
Some dental injuries are so complex that the tooth has to be extracted and replaced with an implant. According to data from Lietuvos draudimas, losses from dental injuries in the first half of 2021 already amounted to EUR 35,800.
Fixing the teeth will cost time and money
The treatment of dental injuries can turn into a long and painful process. Dentists note that during the summers there are quite long waiting lists because of the increased number of injuries, so both the wait for a dental appointment and the treatment process can take time.
„If the injury is minimal, its consequences can be sorted out in a single visit, but if it’s more serious — affecting a nerve or jaw — several visits are needed just to fix it, and healing can take up to 6 months. The price can range from EUR 100 to EUR 20,000, depending on the complexity of the damage,“ dentist Gintarė Žmuidinavičienė says.
The treatment of serious injuries, when the tooth can no longer be restored and an implant is needed, is one of the most expensive dental services. Implants subsequently require additional care.
Damages already exceed EUR 35,800
According to Artūras Juodeikis, Head of the Operations Department at Lietuvos draudimas, claims for dental injuries occur every year, but this year there are particularly many injuries sustained by riders of two-wheeled vehicles. „In the first half of 2021, losses from dental injuries already amount to more than EUR 35,800, and the average loss amount is almost EUR 230. For comparison, I can say that throughout 2019 the loss amount was EUR 31,000. We notice that quite a lot of dental injuries are sustained while riding a two-wheeled vehicle downhill. People simply don’t think that when riding downhill the speed is higher, and if there’s a puddle, wet asphalt, a car, pedestrians or other obstacles along the way, the likelihood of injury increases.
For people on e-scooters who suffered dental injuries, we have already paid out more than EUR 2,000 in the first half of this year,“ the company’s expert A. Juodeikis says.
A. Juodeikis notes that riding e-scooters is, for many, associated with a fun pastime, but when operating any vehicle you need to concentrate and constantly monitor your surroundings. You can often see riders of electric scooters travelling on pavements, weaving between pedestrians and talking on their mobile phones.
You should also assess the road surface you’re riding on, choose a safe speed, watch other road users and observe the general traffic rules.
“It’s important not to forget or ignore the traffic rules — they exist to ensure safe traffic and to maintain everyone’s safety. When operating a two-wheeled vehicle, you should wear a helmet — it’s mandatory for children — and don’t forget a reflective vest, which will help you be more visible, especially at night.
A lot of accidents happen by suddenly changing the riding trajectory, so it’s important to remember that you can ride on the pavement when there’s no suitable verge, but even then the rider must give way to pedestrians and not endanger other road users with their riding,” A. Juodeikis reminds.
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