The number of e-scooter related dental injuries rose in the UK between September 2020 and September 2022, a study by the British Dental Journal has revealed.
32 patients reported a total of 71 dental injuries at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Unprovoked falls was the most common cause of injury, reported in 53% of patients. Other causes included collisions with stationary objects, uneven road surfaces, and alleged assaults on riders while using e-scooters.
Of the 71 injuries, 46.5% affected teeth. 53% were soft tissue injuries, with lacerations (skin tear) the most common type and lips the most common site. Traumatic brain injuries were documented in 31% of patients, and about 90% of traumatic brain injury patients also experienced soft tissue dental injuries.
> Infrastructure the cause of most e-scooter incidents finds study
Last year, a research project from DEKRA Accident Research and two universities found that e-scooter riders have a high risk of head injuries when involved in a crash. The simulation examined 162 individual crash scenarios and found that 90% suggested a risk of severe head injuries.
The British Dental Journal study also had intoxication information available for 12 patients, with 11 reported to be intoxicated at the time of injury. The most common substance taken was alcohol, followed by cannabis.
Among 13 cases with helmet use information, only two patients reported wearing one.
> E-scooters and the law: When and where are you legally allowed to ride an electric scooter
UK trials of e-scooters began in 2020 and were recently extended to May 2026. The government recommends users wear a cycle helmet, but they are not a legal requirement. Mandatory helmets are among recommendations from the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) and the UK Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS), for when the vehicles are legalised in the UK.
“Studies have found that in most e-scooter collisions no other road user is involved,” they said. “Poor road surface conditions, e-scooter speed, riders intoxicated by alcohol or drugs, inexperienced users and lack of helmet use combined with the instability of an e-scooter contribute to the cause and severity of the injuries.”
