What is oral lichen planus?

Oral lichen planus

lichen planus

Lichen planus is an inflammatory disorder that appears as purplish, flat-topped bumps when it affects the skin. Bumps may appear in clusters or lines. Oral lichen planus. Close.

https://www.mayoclinic.org › symptoms-causes › syc-20351378

Lichen planus - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic

(LIE-kun PLAY-nus) is an ongoing (chronic) inflammatory condition that affects mucous membranes inside your mouth. Oral lichen planus may appear as white, lacy patches; red, swollen tissues; or open sores. These lesions may cause burning, pain or other discomfort.

Is oral lichen planus serious?

Lichen planus is not a dangerous disease, and it usually goes away on its own. However, in some people, it may come back.

What is the main cause of lichen planus?

The exact cause of lichen planus is unknown. However, the condition isn't infectious and doesn't usually run in families. It can't be passed on to other people, including sexual partners. A GP can usually diagnose lichen planus by examining the rash and asking about your symptoms.

How do you get rid of lichen planus in your mouth?

What foods trigger oral lichen planus?

These sores may burn and be painful. They'll likely hurt the most when you eat or drink foods that are spicy, salty, acidic (orange juice, tomatoes), or alcoholic. Crispy treats and drinks with caffeine can also cause problems.

Oral Lichen planus Part 1- Causes, Pathogenesis, Clinical features, Skin lesions

What causes lichen planus to flare up in the mouth?

The exact cause of oral lichen planus isn't known. Mounting research evidence suggests that oral lichen planus is an autoimmune condition that arises when your body's immune system triggers a chronic inflammatory process in your mucous membranes.

Is oral lichen planus cancerous?

Background: Oral lichen planus (OLP) and oral lichenoid lesions (OLL) are considered potentially malignant disorders with a cancer incidence of around 1% of cases, although this estimation is controversial.

What toothpaste is good for oral lichen planus?

Use SLS-free toothpaste such as Biotene, Pronamel, Orajel for dry mouth, Sensodyne, or Prevident. (Avoid mint flavors.) Have regular oral exams and dental cleanings because there are some reports showing a risk of malignancy associated with lichen planus and early diagnosis is key.

How do I know if I have oral lichen planus?

Lichen planus shows in many different ways. The most common signs are white patches on the lining of your mouth (usually your cheeks, tongue and gums). These don't usually hurt, but sometimes there can be redness, ulcers or, very rarely, blistering as well as the white patches.

How does lichen planus start?

Oral lichen planus typically starts as tiny white dots on the skin inside of your cheeks or your tongue. In severe cases, the surrounding skin may become inflamed, and sores may develop.

What mouthwash is best for oral lichen planus?

Clobetasol oral rinse is a topical steroid commonly used to treat oral lichen planus.

Is lichen planus caused by stress?

Factors such as stress and psychological problems, especially depression and anxiety, have been mentioned as etiologic factors in lichen planus.

What is the best medicine for lichen planus?

The first choice for treatment of lichen planus is usually a prescription corticosteroid cream or ointment. If that doesn't help and your condition is severe or widespread, your doctor might suggest a corticosteroid pill or injection.

What does oral lichen planus feel like?

Reticular oral lichen planus: For most people, oral lichen planus appears as white patches or thread-like lesions on the inside of your cheeks. These areas are typically raised slightly. Reticular lichen planus usually isn't painful.

What are the 3 types of lichen planus?

Cutaneous lichen planus

The plaques are crossed by fine white lines called Wickham striae. Hypertrophic lichen planus can be a scaly and pruritic rash. Atrophic lichen planus is a rare annular variant with an atrophic centre.

How common is lichen planus in the mouth?

Oral lichen planus (OLP), the mucosal counterpart of cutaneous lichen planus, presents frequently in the fourth decade of life and affects women more than men in a ratio of 1.4:1. [1] The disease affects 1–2% of the population.

What vitamins help oral lichen planus?

In the present study, the role of vitamin D and VDR in OLP was investigated. The results of this review study showed that vitamin D deficiency was present in a higher percentage of patients with OLP, and that the use of vitamin D supplements caused a significant improvement in these patients.

What doctor do I see for oral lichen planus?

People with oral lichen planus have an elevated risk of developing oral cancer. Therefore, it's important for patients with this condition to consult their primary care physician about possibly establishing care with an ENT (ear, nose, and throat) specialist, or otolaryngologist.

What happens if oral lichen planus goes untreated?

Oral lichen planus increases the risk of oral cancer. Left untreated, lichen planus of the ear canal may lead to hearing loss.

What can make lichen planus worse?

If oral lichen planus is present, you should avoid the use of alcohol and tobacco products, which also increase the risk. Regular visits to the dermatologist or dentist — at least twice a year — for an oral cancer screening is recommended.

Can a dentist treat oral lichen planus?

General dentists can be expected to manage the majority of patients with oral lichen planus. Some patients may need to be referred for diagnostic purposes to a specialist; this is also the case for the rare patient with severe symptoms, possibly requiring systemic treatment.

What diseases are linked to lichen planus?

Results: Among patients with LP, there were significant associations with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (multivariate odds ratio [mOR]: 2.87; 95% CI: 1.97-4.17), Sjögren's syndrome (mOR: 3.75; 95% CI: 2.66-5.28), dermatomyositis (mOR: 6.34; 95% CI: 1.82-22.16), vitiligo (mOR: 2.09; 95% CI: 1.31-3.32) and alopecia ...

Can COVID vaccine trigger lichen planus?

We report two cases of lichen planus following COVID-19 vaccination in two middle-aged women, where the first patient presented with lichenplanopilaris (LPP) relapse and development of lichen planus 14 days after the second dose of AstraZeneca vaccine, and the other patient who had a previous scattered lesion of LP ...

Can Covid trigger oral lichen planus?

Due to the widespread immune dysregulation, it is possible that patients of COVID-19 may develop OLP in the aftermath or during recovery.

What autoimmune diseases cause lichen planus?

Lichen planus (LP) is thought to be caused by a T cell–mediated autoimmune reaction against basal epithelial keratinocytes in people with genetic predisposition.