Is breathing in church incense bad for you?

The air pollution in and around various temples has been documented to have harmful effects on health. When incense smoke pollutants are inhaled, they cause respiratory system dysfunction. Incense smoke is a risk factor for elevated cord blood IgE levels and has been indicated to cause allergic contact dermatitis.

Particulate matter in incense smoke not only contains carcinogens but also irritants. This means it could lead to a number of respiratory diseases, such as asthma.