Energy drinks are especially popular among teenagers and young adults. Up to half of U.S. teens and young adults drink energy drinks, and more than half have at least one sports drink a day, according to the researchers.

In laboratory testing, the study appeared to show that energy drinks can erode or thin out the enamel of the teeth, leaving them more susceptible to decay and sensitivity. Ingredients that can cause dental decay include carbonic, citric and phosphoric acid, all of which are often found in energy drinks. At the same time, in the UK, the most recent Adult Dental Health Survey carried out by the NHS suggest around 75% of the UK adult population has some form of tooth decay.

For expatriates living and working around the world, dental health can be a significant concern. Many expatriate destinations have limits on the purchase of alcohol, so alternatives such as sports drinks can be very popular. Increasingly, though, countries such as the UAE are recognising the potentially hazardous nature of some of these drinks and have introduced new labelling rules aimed particularly at protecting pregnant women, nursing mothers and children less than 16-years-old, athletes during exercise, and people who are allergic to caffeine, and those suffering from heart problems. In the UAE, sales of sports drinks are also banned in schools. Eurostar, a Dubai based firm which markets a sports drink with a link to the football club Real Madrid said people in the UAE drank 16.1 million litres of energy drinks last year, which were worth a massive Dhs446.6 million ($120 million).

With consumption of sports and other drinks which pose a risk to dental health growing, accessing a dentist whilst abroad will be important, so many expatriates, particularly those with families, are very interested in dental insurance plans offered by international health insurance brokers.

However, not all insurers will choose to offer expatriate private health cover in this area. Some insurers will protect against accidental damage to teeth such as might arise in a sporting or other accidents, whilst others will offer cover against routine dental examinations and care costs. To the extent that this latter area will have a high probability of claims, i.e. many people will want to have their teeth checked, finding insurance within an expatriate international health care policy which replicates onshore dental plans can be hard and costly. Brokers such as Medibroker can help, as their knowledge of the individual benefits available is broad based, so they can quickly research the levels and types of insurance available from a panel of some 30 insurers.

Steve Nelson international sales manager at Medibroker comments, “Expatriates will often ask whether dental cover can be included in an expat international private healthcare plan. Actually what many may want is emergency cover in the country where they are based to protect against accidents, but because the quality of dental care can vary enormously around the World, the seasoned expat will usually schedule any dental treatment for when they are back home on leave, especially if they are not too impressed with the local dental options. The beauty of an international private medical insurance plan with dental cover is that, just like medical treatment, if the local facilities are not up to scratch, your insurer will cover you for treatment elsewhere in one of their approved centres, so you will have access to the best dental treatment available.”