Figures Show Dental Injuries Rife on St Patrick’s Day
New figures have suggested that dental injuries are significantly more commonplace following St Patrick’s Day celebrations.
Statistics provided by Sikka Software, which monitors more than 10,000 dental practices across the USA, show that the number of people requiring emergency dental treatment rockets on and after St Patrick’s Day, supporting the popular stereotype that people like to go out and get drunk in honour of the Irish patron saint.
The figures, which were given to CNBC, show an average increase of 64 per cent in emergency dental visits on March 18th, the day after St Patrick’s Day, in comparison to the monthly average.
The figures showed no correlation between the number of dental visits and the Irish population, suggesting that the USA has accepted the holiday as one of its own.
With today’s celebrations expected to involve thousands of people, dentists will likely be looking forward to a busy and lucrative day tomorrow. Although drinking is sometimes not directly linked to dental problems, it affects judgement, coordination and balance and therefore increases the risks of falls and accidents. Fighting is also a major cause of dental damage and research shows that people are more likely to get involved in an altercation if they have consumed alcohol.
The study showed an increase in dental appointments in every state, with the exception of Vermont.
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