As you probably already understand, SQL databases do not support any
truly efficient "record count" capability. It is alien to the
concepts behind the client/server and SQL design.

So yes a stored procedure doing a count(*) is probably your most
efficient option, but it still will not be efficient.

Any dynamic tracking of inserted/deleted records will result in
transaction difficulties - so unless you are willing to serialise the
insert and delete processing these options are not appropriate.

You best bet is to review why you think that; "It is useful to be able
to review the recordcount whenever I run my app and add/delete data."
and see whether it is really that useful - and if it is useful perhaps
it can be retrieved only on specific request.

--
Geoff Worboys
Telesis Computing