If you have teeth that look yellow or brown, then you may want to invest in dental whitening. However, not everyone can go through the whitening process. If you want to understand whether or not a whitening treatment is right for you, keep reading to learn about a few different conditions or problems that can limit your ability to receive dental whitening.

Widespread Cavities

Dental decay can cause a multitude of issues. Decay can lead to internal tooth infections, cracked teeth, and pain. Cavities can also reduce your ability to receive tooth whitening treatments. If you have cavities, then the whitening gel will seep into the tooth through the decay. The gel can then reach the dentin. Dentin is quite porous and much more sensitive than the tooth enamel. The whitening gel is not meant to come into contact with any part of the tooth outside the enamel. If it does, then you may feel a great deal of discomfort both during the whitening as well as after. 

If you still want to go through the whitening, then you will need to have your teeth treated for decay. Speak with your general dentist about this. Opt for resin composite during the treatment to make sure the fillings blend in well with the teeth once the whitening can be completed. 

You should understand that your dentist will look for demineralization across the teeth along with the cavities. If the enamel is demineralized but not yet showing signs of cavity formations, then the whitening treatment may cause some tooth sensitivities. This will not prevent you from being able to schedule the whitening, but you should ask a cosmetic dentist to use a weaker whitening solution so the teeth do not hurt after the whitening.

Thinned Enamel

If your teeth are extremely sensitive to hot and cold foods, then there is a good chance that the enamel has thinned to some degree. Sometimes the enamel will thin enough that the more yellow toned dentin will show through the enamel. This can make the teeth look stained and discolored. In this case, a dental whitening may be able to make the teeth look a shade or two whiter if the enamel is stained. However, the treatment cannot affect the appearance of the dentin. 

If you truly want whiter teeth and have thinned enamel, then you should speak with your dentist about the application of veneers. Veneers will cover the teeth and make them look whiter, and the coverings will also protect thinned enamel from further damage.