Volume 30, Issue 174, August 2026

The Interplay Between Vitamin D Status and Oral Lichen Planus: A Literature Review of Nutrient Deficiency, Treatment Potential and Psychosomatic Influences

Amelia Sobanek^1♦, Filip Szewczyk¹, Erwin Górski¹, Jakub Deptuch¹, Aleksandra Wyciślok¹, Weronika Kubiak¹, Zuzanna Szczerba², Justyna Koziarska³

¹Institute of Dentistry of the Central Clinical Hospital of the Medical University of Łódź, Pomorska 251, 92-213 Łódź, Poland
²Navia Clinic, Dowborczyków 34, 90-019 Łódź, Poland
³Independent Public Healthcare Institution in Tarczyn, Warszawska 42, 05-555 Tarczyn, Poland

^♦Corresponding author
Amelia Sobanek, Institute of Dentistry of the Central Clinical Hospital of the Medical University of Łódź, Pomorska 251, 92-213 Łódź, Poland

ABSTRACT

Introduction: This review evaluates the complex interplay between oral lichen planus - a chronic T-cell-mediated inflammatory disease - and the significant roles that vitamin D status and psychosomatic factors play in its clinical pathogenesis and management. Aim: This study aimed to review the literature on the role of Vitamin D in the pathophysiology and treatment of oral lichen planus, with particular emphasis on underlying biological mechanisms, clinical findings, potential therapeutic implications, and psychosomatic influences. Material and methods: For this review, we selected the cited studies from PubMed and Google Scholar. The search included studies between January 1977 and February 2026. The search terms included 'oral lichen planus,' 'vitamin D,' 'vitamins,' 'depression,' and 'anxiety’. Results: Nutrient deficiency (especially Vitamin D) exacerbates the symptoms and lesion size of oral lichen planus. Psychological stress plays a big role in managing OLP, and we must manage it to keep the autoimmune disorder in control. Conclusions: Effective management of oral lichen planus creates a multidisciplinary approach which integrates traditional pharmacotherapy with nutrient supplementation - particularly addressing vitamin D and micronutrient deficiencies, as well as psychological interventions to break the "vicious circle" of psychosomatic-driven exacerbations, and restore oral homeostasis.

Keywords: oral lichen planus, Vitamin D, nutrients, psychological stress, depression

Medical Science, 2026, 30, e161ms3907

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Published: 23 August 2026