02/18/2026
WARNING
Today's candle market includes some pretty hyper realistic food looking candles and wax melts. What you should know if the scented wax from these candles or wax melts is ingested. The overall health risk is low depending on how much wax is consumed. Your body is basically going to ignore it. It can't digest it, but it won't do anything dangerous. The scent chemicals are probably not dissimilar to the ones found in foods, and are present in quantities too small to do any damage. Some foods even include waxes to make them shiny or give them a particular texture. That includes some fruits and chocolates.
FROM POISON CONTROL
Possible Symptoms include: mild stomach upset and diarrhea (depending on how much wax has been ingested).
WHAT TO DO:
1) Wipe or rinse out the mouth.
2) Give a serving size of water to drink.
3) Do NOT induce vomiting
4) Call Poison Control 1-800-222-1222 for additional instructions.
Quick Facts About Candles:
Most candles are made of soy wax (which is a plant-based wax), beeswax, or paraffin wax. Additional ingredients include dyes to color the candle and essential oils to add fragrance. There is also a core that helps to keep the candle wick stiff and upright. The core has not been made with lead since the 1970s due to known health and developmental hazards associated with lead. Today most metal-cored wicks use zinc or an alloy of zinc which should not cause any effects.
Commonly children have easy access to birthday candles and take a bite from the small candle. When children have access to larger candles, they either use their fingers to scratch off pieces of the wax to taste or sometimes they take a bite directly from it. If enough candle wax is swallowed, it can result in a minor upset stomach or a loose stool.
If you find your child eating candle wax, do not panic. Take the candle away from them, wipe out the mouth with a soft, wet cloth, and give them some water to drink. If problems start or you have questions, call the Poison Center right away at 1-800-222-1222. The poison center is open all day, every day for poisoning emergencies and questions.
