Oral Lichen Planus - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment

What Is Oral Lichen Planus?

A chronic inflammatory disorder that affects the mucous membranes of the mouth is called oral lichen planus. Lichen planus can affect any part of your skin. It appears as white and lacy patches with swollen, red tissues and open ulcers. This condition causes pain, burning, and discomfort to the patient. It is not a contagious disease and cannot be passed from one individual to another. It occurs when your immune system attacks the cells of the mucous membrane of your mouth, but the exact cause of this attack is still not known.

The symptoms of this disorder can be managed by medicines. But this is a precancerous condition, that is, oral lichen planus increases the risk of the patient developing mouth cancer in the affected areas.

What Does Oral Lichen Planus Look Like?

Occur lichen planus can appear anywhere inside the mouth, including the inner side of your cheeks (which is the most common location), gums, tongue, the inner side of the lips, and the roof of the mouth (palate).

The lesions look like:

• White and lacy raised patches that resemble spiderwebs or tender.

• The tissues appear swollen and bright red.

• Open sores or mouth ulcers can be seen in severe cases.

There is no pain or discomfort seen in patients who have white lacy lesions. The symptoms associated when open sores develop are:

1. Burning or stinging near the lesion.

2. Pain on speaking, eating, yawning, or drinking.

3. Stinging sensation on eating acidic, spicy, or hot food items.

4. Gingivitis (inflammation of the gums).

5. Bleeding from the gums when you brush.

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6. Thick and painful lesions on the tongue.

What Are the Other Types of Lichen Planus?

The other parts that lichen planus can commonly affect are:

1. Skin - itchy, purplish, flat bumps appear on the skin.

2. Genitals - Red and eroded lesions can appear on the female or male genitalia. It causes pain and burning sensation during sex.

3. Eyes - when lichen planus causes lesions in the mucous membrane of the eyes, it can lead to blindness.

4. Ears - lesions on the ears can cause hearing loss.

5. Scalp - lesion on the scalp can lead to hair loss, which can be temporary or permanent.

6. Esophagus - lesions on the esophagus can cause narrowing of the esophagus, and can make it difficult for the patient to swallow.

What Causes Lichen Planus?

The exact cause of lichen planus is still not known. As of now, the only thing that doctors know is that it results from an autoimmune response. Some scientists believe that these lesions are a result of some other autoimmune condition, while some say it is an autoimmune disorder on its own.

Risk Factors:

The following factors can increase the risk of developing oral lichen planus:

• Other autoimmune disorders.

• A positive family history.

• Injury to the mouth.

• Oral infection.

• Using some specific medicines, such as painkillers, antidiabetic drugs, and antihypertensive medicines.

• Allergic reaction to food or metal fillings or dental appliance.

• Cheek or tongue biting habit.

• Many hepatitis C patients might get lichen planus.

How Does a Dentist Diagnose Oral Lichen Planus?

Based on your medical and dental history, the medication that you are on, symptoms, and the characteristics of the lesion, the doctor will diagnose lichen planus. If needed, the dentist might suggest you get the following tests done:

• Blood tests - Blood tests might be done to diagnose conditions like hepatitis C and lupus.

• Biopsy - The dentist will collect a small tissue sample from the lesions and send it for lab testing. In the lab, the biopsy will be examined for indications of oral lichen planus under the microscope.

• A cotton swab - Sometimes, the dentist may collect a sample of cells by rubbing a cotton swab over the lesions. The sample is then examined for secondary fungal or bacterial or viral infection.

What Are the Treatment Options for Oral Lichen Planus?

There is no cure for lichen planus, and treatment helps heal severe lesions and reduce pain. The following are the treatment options:

Medications to treat symptoms:

1. Topical anesthetics - they numb the area temporarily, which provides temporary relief from pain and discomfort.

2. Corticosteroids - given to reduce inflammation. They are available as mouthwash, ointment, and gel that are directly applied to the mouth. Your doctor might prescribe oral corticosteroids for some time or give corticosteroid injection into the lesion.

Immunosuppressant drugs:

These medications modify or suppress the immune response. The drugs used are:

1. Calcineurin inhibitors - oral gel or ointment is used, which helps in suppressing the immune system. The examples include Tacrolimus and Pimecrolimus.

2. Oral immunosuppressants are prescribed if lesions affect other areas, such as scalp, genitalia, and esophagus.

If the lesions of oral lichen planus are triggered by medicines, stress, or allergy, then the doctor will suggest ways to manage those triggers.

Home Remedies:

The following home remedies may help improve the symptoms of oral lichen planus or prevent recurrent episodes:

1. Maintain good oral hygiene, as it helps in reducing your symptoms and help prevent secondary infection. Brush your teeth twice daily using a soft toothbrush and make sure you floss daily.

2. Avoid eating spicy, salty, and acidic foods, as they trigger or worsen the symptoms. Include soft and bland food in your diet to reduce discomfort.

3. Avoid drinking caffeinated beverages.

4. Do not smoke or consume alcohol.

5. Avoid alcohol or tobacco.

6. Avoid habits, such as chewing your lips or cheeks.

7. Manage stress with the help of meditation, breathing exercises, etc.

8. Go for regular dental checkups every six months to get your teeth cleaned.

What Are the Complications of Lichen Planus?

Oral lichen planus might increase the chances of:

• Severe pain.

• Nutritional deficiency due to pain while chewing.

• Depression.

• Scarring.

• Oral fungal infections.

• Weight loss.

• Stress.

• Oral cancer.

For early detection of such lesions and other oral problems, make sure you visit your dentist regularly. As lichen planus is a chronic condition, it needs long term care. To know about how often you need to consult a dentist to get your condition evaluated, how the treatment is progressing, and for cancer screening, consult a doctor online now!