Assessing the characteristics of patients with oral lichen planus.

The authors assessed the medical history, lifestyles and health habits of 146 patients with oral lichen planus as confirmed by biopsy. The results support a relationship between stress and the development of oral lichen planus. Fifty-one percent of the subjects reported that they had experienced stressful events at the time of the lichen planus onset. Practitioners may want to consider the benefits of stress management and bereavement counseling in managing patients with oral lichen planus.