If you suspect you may suffer from oral lichen planus there are many symptoms to look for. The easiest symptom to look for is a lacy pattern inside the mouth on the cheeks, tongue or gums. The lacy pattern is made up of pale spots that may be raised or have bumps. This can often be the only symptom that many people have, they have no pain, lesions or other symptoms. But sometimes oral LP with develop into a more prominent condition with pain and other symptoms.
Another common symptom is a shiny, red, raised patch on the cheeks and sides of the tongue. In severe cases these red patches can turn into lesions or ulcers. You may also experience mouth pain, burning sensations in the mouth, dry mouth, a feeling that your mouth is rough, sore gums, metallic taste or a blunted sense of taste, sensitivity to spicy and hot foods, bleeding, burning and irritation when brushing your teeth.
If you have only a mild form of oral LP there may be no reason for you to visit the doctor or dentist but there are some reasons in which you should visit a health care professional to help treat your LP. If you notice sores that do not heal, have lumps or discolored patches in your mouth, suffer from mouth pain, have repeated bleeding in your mouth, have a loss of feeling inside your mouth, repeated bleeding in the mouth, changes in the way your mouth feels or looks, or if you have lesions on your skin, scalp, genitals or nails.
Oral lichen planus can be controlled with medications but it is a disease that cannot be cured. Learning about symptoms and treatments is important, also identifying triggers can help you with your condition. If you think you have lichen planus or oral lichen planus, visiting a doctor or dentist may be the best way to learn about your condition and treatment options.
Tags: brushing your teeth, burning sensations, lacy pattern, metallic taste, mouth pain, oral lichen planus, oral lp, pale spots, sense of taste, sore gums