Dix Hills Woman Raises Oral Cancer Awareness In Late Brother's Honor

DIX HILLS, NY — Dr. Parul Dua Makkar, a Dix Hills resident and owner of PDM Family Dental in Jericho, is channeling her grief over her brother's premature death by oral cancer to raise awareness of the disease so she can save the lives of others.

Dr. Manu Dua died of metastatic oral cancer in March 2021 at the age of 34. Manu, like Parul, was a dentist. During the last few days of his life, Manu reflected and wrote a series of blogs that are now a book called "Life Interrupted: Dr. Dua’s Survival Guide," which can be purchased on Amazon for $9 as a paperback or $3 on Kindle.

The book deals with life, loss, his lessons as he faced his mortality at age 34. He wrote about finding beauty in small things, facing fear, learning from failure, respecting death and to leave the world a better place. To realize that even as the world falls apart, people should keep hoping for a better future.

"This is a story about losing everything, grieving and finding the courage to move on," Parul Dua Makkar told Patch. "How I managed this grief of losing my younger and only sibling and dealt with everything as a mom, daughter, sister, wife, dentist, business owner, daughter in law, of the many hats I wear."

Since Manu's death, Parul has focused on educating the public on the early signs and symptoms of oral cancer, as well as the risk factors.

"Healing-wise, sharing the story and making people more aware," Makkar said. "Raising awareness. That’s kind of our hope: That maybe we push somebody to get an early diagnosis and save someone else’s life. What I could not do for my brother.”

Makkar cautioned that cancer has no bars and can even inflict children. Manu Dua, Parul said, was not a drinker or smoker and did not have the human papillomavirus (HPV).

Older males are more susceptible to oral cancer than females, according to Makkar. Smoking, tobacco in any form, vaping, and alcohol use are also contributors to the disease, she said. Some oral cancers are related to HPV, a sexually transmitted infection that causes warts in various parts of the body, depending on the strain.

Parul advised getting people vaccinated against HPV when they are pre-teens.

"Getting the HPV vaccine can prevent them from getting cancer, because this kind of cancer is not something we can detect with a pap smear," Makkar said. "HPV is the same cancer that causes cervical cancer, as well as oral. This is not something we can just detect, unfortunately, without further tests. The vaccine is one of the best ways to do it."

Makkar encouraged routine dental check-ups and checking for mouth lesions that have not healed after two weeks. If a lesion sticks around for more than two weeks, people should get a biopsy, according to Makkar. Lesions on just one side of the mouth are signs that someone should get evaluated.

Trouble swallowing, drinking water or eating could be signs that one should get checked out, as well as a persistent cough unrelated to the coronavirus.

"You’d want to know earlier, because early treatment is much more manageable than doing something that has progressed worse," Makkar said. "Oral cancer is very aggressive, so the earlier we can get to it before it goes into the lymph nodes and it becomes metastatic, the better.”

Makkar said mouths are the gateway to the whole body.

"They’re so important," she said. "Our teeth, our gum health. Everything is connected. Cardiovascular issues are related. Diabetic issues are related. If you’re pregnant, you do get what’s called pregnancy gingivitus. In essence, the whole systemic body is related to our oral health and oral habits. It’s so important to maintain good oral hygiene, because if we don’t have good teeth, we’re not getting nutrition. We’re not able to be smile and be confident in ourselves. So, really pay attention to getting your check-ups and everything."

Some sales of the "Life Interrupted" book go to the Oral Cancer Foundation. PDM Family Dental holds a walk each April to raise awareness.

Makkar also hosts a podcast where she interviews other dental specialists and doctors on the impact of oral cancer, as well as COVID-19's role.

PDM Family Dental can be reached at 516-388-5002.