Association Between Oral Lichen Planus and Thyroid Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: In recent years, various authors have suggested a potential association between oral lichen planus (OLP) and thyroid disease (TD), although other studies have failed to confirm a significant relationship. The available literature presents inconsistent and sometimes contradictory findings. Additionally, other conditions-such as anxiety and depression, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia-have also been linked with OLP. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 120 participants, comprising 60 patients diagnosed with OLP and 60 controls. Medical histories related to TD and other comorbidities were collected for both groups. Results: The prevalence of TD among the OLP patients was 20%, compared to 6.7% in the control group. The most frequently observed thyroid disorder was hypothyroidism, identified in 13.3% of the patients with OLP. Statistically, there was a moderate probability of an association between OLP and TD (p = 0.054). No statistically significant associations were found between OLP and hypertension (p = 0.378), type 2 diabetes mellitus (p = 0.550), dyslipidemia (p = 0.562), anxiety (p = 0.959), or depression (p = 0.532). Conclusions: Although the association between OLP and TD remains inconclusive, our findings suggest a moderate statistical probability of a relationship.