A Holistic Intervention for Oral Lichen Planus

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic immune-mediated, inflammatory, and psychosomatic condition that frequently affects the oral mucosa in a typical bilateral pattern, often noticed in middle-aged females.¹ It involves the buccal, lingual, and/or gingival mucosa and is also an oral potentially malignant disorder (OPMD). OLP is associated with etiological factors ranging from viruses like hepatitis C, systemic factors like thyroid disorders,² local factors like dental plaque, calculus and cuspal trauma, to deep rooted, often underestimated, psychological triggers. OLP is routinely encountered in oral medicine clinics and is sometimes accompanied by the simultaneous involvement of skin, nails, genitals, and/or mucous membranes. Although OLP is multifactorial in origin, a large share of these presentations can be attributed chiefly to psychological factors like stress, anxiety, and depression. OLP is even more striking as its genesis, progression, and exacerbation closely mirror the dynamics of emotional disturbance.