When it comes to protecting your mouth, a sports mouthguard is an essential piece of athletic gear that should be part of your standard equipment from an early age. Teens and children may need to replace their mouthguards more often because their mouths are still growing and changing. While collision and contact sports, such as boxing, are higher-risk sports for the mouth, any athlete may experience a dental injury in non-contact activities too, such as gymnastics and skating.