Can burning scented candles cause carbon monoxide poisoning? TikTok creator shares terrifying story

A TikToker has left social media users shocked after she claimed that she ended up in the hospital due to carbon monoxide poisoning after she lit up a scented candle. The TikTok user Emy Moore uploaded a video on November 14, 2023, claiming she almost lost her life due to the carbon monoxide poisoning.

She explained that she went to bed with not one but five candles lit and suddenly started feeling uncomfortable during her sleep. She then realized how things were becoming complicated as she was not remembering things and not comprehending anything happening around her. She was rushed to the hospital, where she was put on oxygen and given several medicines.

Social media users were left shocked as TikToker claimed she got poisoned after she burned a candle for many hours. (Image via Emy Moore/ TikTok)

In her TikTok video, she talked about her episode with carbon monoxide poisoning due to the scented candles and said:

“I had five candles lit, they burned for more than 10 hours in my room with the door shut all day, and I blew them out and went to sleep that night with the door shut. I felt like my body dropped… like my body separated, like there were, like, two of me. I heard this voice being like, something is wrong, and I got up, and my chest was so caved in, and my heartbeat was just going, going, going.”

As the video went viral, many started searching for answers about whether scented candles really caused carbon monoxide poisoning.

As per Heater Tips, it is quite unlikely for the candles to cause such an alarming situation, as these candles produce very little carbon monoxide. However, the website does mention that if one lights up too many candles in an unventilated space, carbon monoxide poisoning can happen.

Hence, a similar situation took place with the TikToker, as she herself mentioned that she had lit up five candles for more than 10 hours, and her room was absolutely unventilated as the door was closed throughout.

---

When lighting up a scented candle, one should make sure to keep the airways open

While there is no denying that scented candles can be an absolute delight, they can often be dangerous if one decides to burn many candles at once and keep the room unventilated. The same situation happened with a TikToker, who reported that she almost died because she burned five candles and kept the doors closed.

Social media users were left shocked as TikToker claimed she got poisoned after she burned a candle for many hours. (Image via Emy Moore/ TikTok)

Thus, one should always remember to open their airways to allow carbon monoxide gas to dissipate. On the other hand, one should not make the mistake of sleeping with the candles burning. A website, Scandi Scents, talked about the same and advised:

“Lighting a scented candle when retiring to bed at night might seem soothing, but remember, it can be dangerous. Firstly, you would not realize that the candle has been burning for too long, and the air inside your room might be heavy with Carbon monoxide. Also, if a fire outbreak occurs, you might get severely injured before you realize it.”

Furthermore, people who burn scented candles can also install a CO detector to avoid the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. People who suddenly suffer from the poisoning feel headaches, nausea, breathlessness, and even stuffiness, as these are the common symptoms of the problem.

The TikToker also made similar claims, as she stated that she experienced “dehydration/obnoxiously thirsty, confusion, blurry/double vision, shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness/vertigo, and headache,” all at once due to the carbon monoxide poisoning.

Moore concluded her video by asking people to be careful of the situation, as a similar instance of carbon monoxide poisoning can happen to others too.