Data and Intelligence
The Department of Health and Social Care have a Child and Maternal Health Profile on their “Fingertips” data tool, which includes data on Oral Health. The latest information can be viewed:
Child and Maternal Health | Department of Health and Social Care
Data relating to Oral Cancer can be found on the Smoking Profile:
Smoking Profile | Department of Health and Social Care
The following information is a summary of key findings from this information when viewed in 2025.
Children’s oral health
The proportion of five-year-olds in Hartlepool with visually obvious dental decay has fallen since 2007/08 but has risen again since 2018/19. In 2023/24, 19.5% of children were affected—lower than both the regional (22.6%) and national (22.4%) averages. Hospital admissions for dental caries among 0–5-year-olds remain significantly lower than the North East and England, despite a brief increase between 2016/17 and 2019/20. In 2021/22–2023/24, Hartlepool’s rate was 110.1 per 100,000 compared to 443.4 regionally and 207.2 nationally. For looked after children, dental checks have improved since the COVID-19 pandemic, with 79% receiving checks in 2023/24—matching England and slightly above the North East.
Oral cancer
Oral cancer registrations in Hartlepool rose sharply between 2016/18 and 2017/19, reaching 18.5 per 100,000 and surpassing the North East rate. Hartlepool ranked 240th out of 269 local authorities during this period. Mortality rates have consistently exceeded regional figures, peaking in 2018/20 before falling to 7.8 per 100,000 in 2020/22 (compared to 5.74 in the North East). Hartlepool remains ranked 240th our of 269 local authorities in England.
Adult smoking in Hartlepool
Smoking among adults (18+) in Hartlepool has been declining in line with regional and national trends, but remains higher than both the North East and England. In 2023, 13.5% of adults were current smokers, placing Hartlepool 81st out of 313 local authorities. The proportion of ex-smokers has risen since 2020, while the percentage of never-smokers is lower than regional and national averages. In 2022, 57.9% of Hartlepool’s population had never smoked, ranking the Borough 225th out of 310 local authorities.
National Disease Registration Service
The NDRS Cancer Prevalence Statistics, last updated August 2025: Cancer prevalence - NDRS
In 2022, the Head and Neck Cancer crude prevalence rate (5-year) for Hartlepool was 80.98 per 100,000 which was higher than the England average (63.05 per 100,000).