Oral lichen planus

[BobVanceRefrigeration]

Does anyone else suffer from this condition and if so, any tips for how to manage it / reduce symptoms / ride through flares?!

I was diagnosed with it in 2021 and it fluctuates throughout the year. I randomly seem to always get a flare up in January and it's here again :( I do use the steroid cream and usually that works pretty quickly, but it does feel like this flare is fighting against it. I do have an appointment with an oral medicine specialist in March, which is quite far off, so I'm wondering if anyone has had good suggestions for how to get this flare to end asap!

It's such a frustrating issue - I was thinking to myself towards the end of last year 'wow I haven't had any symptoms for ages - it's like it's gone away!' - obviously jinxed it - now it feels like it will never end! Last time I saw the oral specialist, she mentioned that there is a chance it will eventually burn itself out, but could take years.

No advice but I think I have this too. Currently awaiting an appointment with the hospital for biopsy but my dentist and GP are pretty sure that’s what it is.
GP has just given me a steroid mouthwash and I’ve cut out gluten and dairy (not just because of the OLP).
It’s bloody sore.

Thank you for your reply to this thread! I was able to get into see my oral medicine specialist a couple of weeks ago and am now at the tail end of this flare. He recommended doing bicarb of soda oral rinses which helps neutralise the acid in the mouth, which helps take down the inflammation (this is alongside using the steroid cream I’ve been prescribed). It’s 1 teaspoon to 500ml sterilised water and he said to do it throughout the day. Please feel free to PM me if you have any questions or need advice re what I've learnt along the way. It’s very trial and error! I also gave up gluten and dairy two years ago which I think has helped somewhat, I guess taking inflammatory causing foods out of my system makes sense to help an inflammatory condition?

Something that made huge difference for me was switching to a toothpaste that didn’t have SLS. At first I used Squigle but now I have switched to Ultradex.

I also started using a really soft toothbrush, the velvet one by Curaprox. So much more comfortable.