Oral medicine: oral lichen planus: practice question

A Dentistry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Dentistry · Oral medicine: oral lichen planus

Sample item

A middle-aged woman has itchy violaceous papules on the wrists and bilateral lacy white striae on the buccal mucosa. What is the diagnosis?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Oral lichen planus

Bilateral reticular white striae (Wickham striae) of the buccal mucosa with skin papules point to lichen planus. A small proportion of erosive cases may undergo malignant change, so follow-up is advised.

Option by option

  • A. Leukoplakia

    Leukoplakia is a non-striated patch and not associated with skin papules.

  • B. Oral lichen planus (correct)

    Correct. The pattern and skin involvement are typical.

  • C. White sponge nevus

    White sponge nevus is a hereditary lesion present from childhood.

  • D. Pemphigus vulgaris

    Pemphigus causes erosions with flaccid blisters.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Dentistry question

What is the answer to this Dentistry question?

The best answer is B, Oral lichen planus. Bilateral reticular white striae (Wickham striae) of the buccal mucosa with skin papules point to lichen planus.

Why is "Leukoplakia" not the answer?

Leukoplakia is a non-striated patch and not associated with skin papules.

Why is "White sponge nevus" not the answer?

White sponge nevus is a hereditary lesion present from childhood.

Why is "Pemphigus vulgaris" not the answer?

Pemphigus causes erosions with flaccid blisters.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Oral medicine: oral lichen planus in Dentistry. A small proportion of erosive cases may undergo malignant change, so follow-up is advised.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Oral medicine: oral lichen planus?

Learn the dental formula, eruption ages and tooth structure once, as tables. Then use the flashcards and the other Dentistry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.