Dental hygienist Christina Chatfield has raised almost £20,000 for Mouth Cancer Action by walking 500 miles across the UK.

Christina, who owns Dental Health Spa Brighton, finished her ‘500 Miles for Smiles’ walk on 19 June in Brighton.

The walk began at Christina’s first practice in Kirriemuir, Scotland, a month earlier, and took in some of the east coast’s most attractive cities. More than 300 people joined the walk on various legs of the route.

Christina said: ‘I spoke to a number of people along the route and very few are aware of the link between mouth cancer and the human papillomavirus (HPV), one of the key factors behind the increase. It was a gruelling month for me, but making those people I met aware of mouth cancer was worth it’.

In addition to donations going to Mouth Cancer Action, a long-standing campaign run by the British Dental Health Foundation, fellow dental charity Heart Your Smile also received a share of the fundraising.