Laps at the Scarborough Beach Pool
Since the ocean-side pool opened on the foreshore in 2019, its heated 50‑metre lanes have given locals a year-round place to swim laps. Spending hours a week in chlorinated water can sometimes leave hard, yellow-brown deposits on the front teeth, often called swimmer’s calculus.
These deposits usually come away with a professional scale and clean, and they aren’t a sign that you’re brushing poorly. If your teeth also feel more sensitive than they used to, mention it at your check‑up so we can look for the cause.
Visiting Scarborough with a toothache
With the Rendezvous tower (built as Observation City in 1986) and other accommodation along the beachfront, many people staying in Scarborough are a long way from their own dentist. If toothache, a lost filling or a broken tooth interrupts your stay, ring us and let us know you’re visiting.
For visitors, the goal is usually to ease the pain and make the tooth comfortable and stable so you can finish your trip. We can give you a written summary with item numbers to take home to your regular dentist, your health fund or your travel insurer.
Some problems can’t wait: for swelling that affects your breathing, swallowing or eye, bleeding you can’t control, a high fever or a head injury, call 000 or go straight to your nearest hospital emergency department. For advice when we’re closed, call Healthdirect on 1800 022 222, and if a tooth is knocked out, follow our knocked‑out tooth page.
Ready to book a visit?
Children at Scarborough’s local schools
For families with children at Scarborough Primary on Deanmore Road, St John’s on Scarborough Beach Road or Deanmore Primary nearby, booking after the school bell or on a Saturday morning means nobody misses lessons. If your child also does learn‑to‑swim classes at the Scarborough Beach Pool on weekday afternoons, let us know so we can suggest times that don’t clash.
Six‑monthly visits give us a chance to spot early decay, place fissure sealants on new back teeth where they’re useful, and keep an eye on how adult teeth are coming through. If your child is eligible for the Child Dental Benefits Schedule, let us know when you book.
A beach that hosts the nationals
Scarborough Beach has hosted the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships several times, most recently in 2023, and carnival season brings board, ski and beach events to the sand. Falls and collisions with boards and skis can happen in these events, and teeth are sometimes caught in the knock.
Competitors who train hard through summer can also be hard on their teeth in quieter ways: long hours of sun and salt water, frequent sports drinks and clenching during effort. A check‑up before carnival season lets us pick up worn edges, small cracks or early decay while they’re simple to manage.
If a tooth is chipped or knocked out at an event, phone us from the beach and tell us what happened. Our knocked‑out tooth page sets out the first steps, and it’s worth having a parent or team manager read it before the season starts.
Booking and records
Bookings can be made online at any hour, or by calling 08 9447 1514. If you’ve recently moved to Scarborough, we can ask your previous dentist for your x‑rays and notes with your written consent, which helps avoid repeating images you’ve already had.
Services Scarborough patients may find useful
Common questions about visiting from Scarborough
I’m on holiday and have a toothache. Can you see me?
Yes, we see visitors as well as regular patients. Call us, explain that you’re staying in Scarborough and describe the problem, and we’ll find the earliest suitable time. Bring any medication you’re taking and your health fund or insurance details if you have them.
Which route is easier from Scarborough, the coast or Marmion Avenue?
Both work well. West Coast Drive through Trigg is the scenic option, while staying on West Coast Highway until it becomes Marmion Avenue avoids the beachfront on busy summer days. Either way, the last stretch is a short run into central North Beach.
I swim laps most days and have brown marks on my teeth. What is it?
If you’re a regular at the Scarborough Beach Pool or another chlorinated pool, it may be swimmer’s calculus, a hard deposit that can form in people who spend a lot of time in chlorinated pools. It usually responds well to a professional clean. We’ll check that the marks aren’t decay or something else before cleaning.
Can I get to you by public transport from Scarborough?
It takes one change. Route 422 runs from Scarborough to Karrinyup bus station, and from there the 423 runs through Trigg and on into North Beach. Check current times on the Transperth journey planner.
Can you send my records to my dentist at home after an emergency visit?
With your written consent, we can send your notes and any x‑rays taken to your regular dentist, so they can carry on from where we left off.

