Doctors and researchers have warned of the danger of incense, due to the gases it produces that are harmful to human health, noting that burning it increases chest sensitivity, especially in children and the elderly.
They identified four dangerous diseases that incense smoke contributes to increasing the number of people infected with them, including cardiovascular diseases, lung diseases, allergies, and oral diseases.
A scientific study affiliated with the “Healthy Future of the Emirates” confirmed that more than 90% of Emirati families use incense to perfume homes and clothes, and that 90% of Emiratis are exposed, as a result, to oral diseases.
Burning incense is one of the ancient practices that is used as part of religious rituals, or for purposes related to scenting homes and public places. It is also a traditional custom in the Gulf region, and a basic item in the rituals of religious and popular occasions among some nationalities residing in the Emirates, which increases its spread locally, and many people are affected by its harms.
In detail, a scientific study carried out by researchers from New York University Abu Dhabi, as part of the “A Healthy Future for the Emirates” project, showed that burning incense is linked to changes in the composition of oral microbes. Researchers at the university confirmed that the use of incense is linked to organic changes related to the oral microbiome, which is a type of coexisting and symbiotic microorganisms that are found in the oral cavity and cause several diseases.
The study, which was announced and published in scientific journals last week, indicated that burning incense contributes to air pollution, and that its use is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and lung diseases, as the smoke from burning incense contains high percentages of pollutants, such as carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. Nitrogen, also found in tobacco smoke.
The study confirmed that a comparison between incense users and those who do not use incense found that burning incense is associated with changes in the diversity, structure and composition of oral microbes, even when the user is exposed to small percentages of incense. This is also the case for those who use it from time to time, because it would have harmful effects on health, represented by the body’s inability to maintain a stable internal environment, regardless of external conditions, as an imbalance of microbes leads to severe health damage.
Director of the Public Health Research Center at New York University Abu Dhabi, Dr. Ragheb Ali, said that the study is an important first step towards understanding how incense affects human health, and the ways it contributes to the incidence of chronic diseases common among the country’s citizens, “noting that there is a plan to follow up on it later.” .
Professor of Genetics, the lead researcher in the study, Yvonne Valles, said: “For the first time, we have succeeded in showing the correlation between the use of incense and changes in the composition of microorganisms in the mouth, and although we are still in the preliminary analysis stage, we are facing an important result, which involves… “Many potential health effects.”
Valles added: “We hope that the results of the study will help reach a conclusion that confirms the association of exposure to incense smoke with the changes we observed, especially since there is a state of low public awareness regarding this issue, with an absence of policies that regulate the use of incense, especially in public places.”
Delicious smells and hidden diseases
Respiratory disease specialist, Mohamed Mandour, confirmed that “the smell of incense and smoke is harmful to children who show signs of chest allergies, or are prone to breathing problems, as it negatively affects the child’s ability to inhale clean, odor-free air, which is reflected in his breathing. “This causes difficulty,” he said, noting that, “Closing homes in general causes the incense smoke to condense, and it may cause a young child to suffer from nasal congestion, inflammation, and severe coughing.” Pediatrician Dr. Hala Habib warned against young children, infants and newborns inhaling incense too much, pointing out that this causes many health problems for them. She advised good ventilation when fumigating, and making sure there are no children present, to avoid any potential harm.
She added: “Despite the pleasant smells of incense and smoke, they cause health damage, as they result from the burning of essential oils and wood, as this produces harmful gases that negatively affect human health.”
Habib said, “Incense and smoke are inherited perfumes that many mothers use to freshen the air. However, burning incense and smoke in homes causes air pollution with toxic substances that can cause health problems in the lungs and bronchitis. The damage may lead to asthma,” stressing that “burning incense in the presence of children entails health risks.”
Specialists in family medicine and pediatrics, Bashar Ahmed, Wael Khalaf, Wafa Khaled, and Marwa Abdullah, also warned of the lack of awareness of the majority of families of the harms resulting from excessive use of incense and smoke in homes, noting that “incense is considered smoke.” Despite its beautiful smell, it leads to chest irritation and chronic cough. Most of the children with allergies find that their parents use incense or smoke on a regular basis.” They emphasized that “incense smoke is considered a bronchial irritant, and patients with asthma, allergies, or other chest diseases, especially those with sinuses, should completely avoid inhaling it,” warning of the consequences of using incense in closed spaces that do not have good ventilation. They called for limiting its use to open places, so as not to irritate the respiratory tract. On the other hand, Salem Al-Balushi, Nasser Al-Assad, Ali Khudair, and Manal Anwar, incense and smoke sellers in commercial centers in Abu Dhabi, confirmed that the greatest danger in the issue of fumigation is concentrated in the poor types that some promote at low prices, as they are often just painted wood. Black or brown, and impregnated with some industrial oils, and when used, a person feels suffocated or has a severe cough, indicating that the original incense and smoke ingredients are natural. They explained that there are two types of smoke, colored and black, in the form of tablets, powder, or liquid bottled. As for “oud” incense, it comes in the form of (raw) woodwood, scented oud, with oil perfumes added to it, in addition to vaporized oud.
300 citizens
The study “The Effect of Burning Incense on Health” included determining the composition of the oral microbes in more than 300 Emirati adults, through the use of a specific gene present in the bacteria extracted from the mouthwash samples used in the study.
Then, a questionnaire was conducted to evaluate the extent to which the study participants used incense.
The study showed that 6.6% of Emirati families never use incense, 24.1% of them tend to use it sometimes, 33.7% use it frequently, and 35.6% use it daily. The results of the study also revealed a significant increase in the diversity of oral microbes among daily incense users, compared to those who do not use it at all.
A healthy future for the Emirates
The “Healthy Future for the Emirates” study is the first long-term study to study the causes of lifestyle-related chronic diseases among citizens. It aims to understand and provide scientific evidence of the factors related to the environment, lifestyle, and genetic and causative determinants of the most common diseases among the UAE population, such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
The total number of citizen volunteers in the study was 7,000 male and female citizens, aged between 18 and 40 years.
28 researchers from a variety of universities and institutions are collaborating on the study, including New York University Abu Dhabi, New York University, Cleveland Clinic in Abu Dhabi, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Zayed University, United Arab Emirates University, Zayed Military Hospital, and Sheikh Khalifa Center. Medical Center, Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, and the University of the West Indies in Barbados.
6 precautions
The General Command of Civil Defense at the Ministry of Interior broadcast a video
Finally, awareness-raising through the ministry’s accounts on social media sites.
She said in it that the use of incense in many homes may cause fires.
She advised taking six precautions when fumigating the home:
– Do not leave incense burning unattended.
– Make sure to turn it off before leaving the house or going to sleep, and before throwing it in the trash.
– Do not place incense and burning candles near curtains and clothes.
– Do not place it within the reach of children.
– Make sure to use good quality incense holders.
– Maintain proper ventilation.
90% of Emirati families use incense to perfume homes and clothes.
35% of citizens use incense to perfume the atmosphere of their homes daily.