Impact of Oral Lichen Planus on Quality of Life: A Cross-Sectional Study

Lichen planus is a chronic, mucocutaneous inflammatory disorder that often affects oral tissues. It can cause discomfort and pain in affected individuals, thereby affecting their daily lives and ability to function. This study aims to comprehensively evaluate the impact of oral lichen planus (OLP) on the quality of life (QoL) of a cohort of patients.

This was a questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study of patients with OLP attending the Oral Medicine Clinic, Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Demographic data and disease activity score were collected, and eligible subjects were invited to complete the Chronic Oral Mucosal Disease Questionnaire, Oral Health Impact Profile, and Social and Readjustment Rating Scale.

Statistical analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows).

Thirty-eight participants completed the study, 27 of whom were females with an average age of 52.2 years. The average OLP severity score was 21.3 (range: 3-49). Prior to OLP, most of the participants experienced life events amounting to either moderate (44.7%) or high stress (28.9%). Overall, 74% of patients with OLP experienced discomfort during oral hygiene routines and OLP-limited oral hygiene practices in 58% of participants. In addition, 92% experienced variable degrees of discomfort with specific types of food (e.g., spicy food) and 70% of study subjects required medications to manage OLP, which helped 90% of patients. Moreover, 75 and 85% of the patients were emotionally and socially affected by OLP, respectively, experiencing stress and anxiety.

Active and symptomatic OLP substantially impacts QoL, and stressful life events could trigger its development.