CBD 101: How Many Drops of CBD Oil Should I Take Under the Tongue?

Taking CBD oil under the tongue is the number one way people consume it.

In technical jargon, this is called sublingual administration and literally translates to “under the tongue.”

But how many drops of CBD oil under tongue are recommended?

That’s a question we’ll answer in today’s article. We’ll explore how many CBD drops under the tongue to take for CBD to work, how long to hold CBD tincture under the tongue, why sublingual CBD administration is the most effective way to take CBD, and much more!

Click a section in the table of contents to jump to a specific topic or keep reading to learn everything you need to know about taking CBD oil under the tongue.

How Many Drops of CBD Oil Should I Take?

Knowing how many drops of CBD oil you should take under the tongue depends on these key factors:

1. Strength of the CBD formula you are taking
2. Size of the CBD dropper hole in your glass pipette
3. The total amount of CBD oil in your bottle
4. Your recommended CBD dose

Use the Organica Naturals CBD Drops Calculator below to get started. Calculator usage instructions and suggestions on how best to take a CBD tincture under the tongue are detailed throughout this guide.

We can enter this information into our calculator to determine exactly how many drops of CBD oil are right for you.

Information You Need To Calculate the Exact Number Of CBD Oil Drops To Take

The CBD Oil Drops Calculator requires some key bits of information to provide you with your exact dosage amount to take by drop.

Finding out how strong my CBD oil tincture is

First things first if you want to count how many drops of CBD oil to take under the tongue:

What is the potency of the product you are taking and how much is in a suggested serving size?

Organica Naturals CBD oil tinctures display a formula potency number on the front of every product (e.g., “500MG,” “2500MG,” or “10,000MG”).

The potency number tells you how many milligrams of CBD is in the entire bottle. Divide the potency by the number of servings listed on the “Nutrition Facts” label to get the amount of CBD per 1 mL dropperful.

Here’s how that looks using some of our products as an example:

Example #1

CBD product: 500MG Full Spectrum CBD
Number of servings: 30
Total mg CBD per 1 mL serving: 16.67 mg CBD

Example #2

CBD product: 2500MG Broad Spectrum CBD
Number of servings: 30
Total mg CBD per 1 mL serving: 83.33 mg CBD

Example #3

CBD product: 10,000MG Zero High® CBD Isolate
Number of servings: 30
Total mg CBD per 1 mL serving: 333.33 mg CBD

Now that you know the strength of a 1 mL CBD dropperful, you will count the number of CBD drops in it.

Getting the drop count in my CBD dropper

Every CBD dropper is kind of like a snowflake.

There’s no standard size for the opening at the end of dropper pipettes, so each CBD dropper may dispense a slightly larger or smaller drop size.

Varying dropper openings can yield wildly different results. For example, some droppers with very large openings could dispense only 20 drops while those with smaller openings might give you 35 drops or more.

That’s a big difference if you want to measure exactly how much CBD is in the drops you take under the tongue!

What you must do if you are counting CBD doses in drops is establish a relative scale for your unique dropper.

You do this by counting how many drops there are in a specific dose.

Organica Naturals CBD droppers are graduated, meaning they measure how much CBD is in the glass pipette in ¼, ½, ¾, and 1 mL amounts.

You will need to perform an initial calibration test to establish the relative scale for your dropper.

First, use your graduated dropper to measure 1 mL of CBD oil. Then count how many drops it takes to empty the dropper entirely.

Voila!

You now have a relative scale that accurately tells you how many drops of CBD under the tongue to take.

Check out these three examples in which we found a relative scale for differently-sized dropper openings:

Example #1

Dropper opening size: Very small
Dosage measured: 1 mL
Total CBD drop count: 36 drops
CBD drops per ¼ mL: 9 drops
CBD drops per ⅛ mL: 4 to 5 drops

Example #2

Dropper opening size: Medium
Dosage measured: 1 mL
Total CBD drop count: 28 drops
CBD drops per ¼ mL: 7 drops
CBD drops per ⅛ mL: 3 to 4 drops

Example #3

Dropper opening size: Very large
Dosage measured: 1 mL
Total CBD drop count: 20 drops
CBD drops per ¼ mL: 5 drops
CBD drops per ⅛ mL: 2 to 3 drops

Remember to establish a relative scale every time you change droppers.

Or hang on to the one you’re using to keep CBD dropper dosing convenient.

Calculating the CBD dose that’s right for me

Your CBD dose should be calculated based on your current body weight.

Not sure how to find the perfect CBD drop dose for you?

Read our simple CBD Dosage Quick Start Guide to figure out the best CBD dose in three easy steps!

Once you know how much CBD you need to get for an optimal dose, you can break it down further into CBD drops placed under the tongue.

Finding the total amount of CBD oil in your bottle

Organica Naturals CBD oil bottles contain 30 milliliters (1 ounce) of CBD oil, but manufacturers may use different amounts of CBD oil in their blends.

Common bottle quantities include 30 mL, 60 mL (2 ounces), 120 mL (4 ounces).

This information should be clearly displayed on the front of the bottle or on the nutrition facts label.

You’ll need to know the exact amount of CBD oil in your bottle in order to accurately calculate the concentration of cannabidiol in your one milliliter dropper.

CBD Oil Under the Tongue Benefits

Taking CBD oil under the tongue is the number one way people use it.

Sublingual CBD administration gives you the best of both worlds to maximize CBD oil under the tongue benefits.

How taking CBD oil under the tongue works

CBD drops under the tongue improve the effectiveness of the active ingredient Cannabidiol in two ways:

First, taking drops of CBD under the tongue absorb rapidly through the very thin membrane in your mouth called the sublingual mucosa. Studies show this membrane works with salivary glands to rapidly uptake medicines and deploy them into the bloodstream through a dense network of capillaries.

Second, the CBD oil you swallow is also absorbed by your body albeit through a much slower digestive process. These peak concentrations of CBD occur within about two or three hours.

Taking CBD sublingually before swallowing is how you get the best of both worlds in one convenient dose!

How fast CBD oil under the tongue works

Taking CBD oil under the tongue works almost immediately.

CBD works in as little as 15 minutes after sublingual administration.

Peak concentrations after holding CBD under your tongue occur within two hours and may last for up to six hours before dissipating.

Why taking drops of CBD oil under the tongue is better

Bioavailability is how much CBD you take that will actually get used by your body.

Taking drops of CBD oil under tongue is up to 20% bioavailable.

Compare that to between 6% and 10% bioavailability for traditional oral (swallowing) use.

When you combine drops under the tongue with swallowing, you maximize your CBD by taking advantage of two different types of bioavailability.

How to Take a CBD Tincture Under the Tongue

It’s so easy to take a CBD tincture under the tongue!

Ideally, you should hold CBD droplets under the tongue for at least 30 seconds before swallowing.

But you may hold it there longer — up to 90 seconds according to research — to maximize CBD absorption.

How long you hold the CBD tincture under your tongue will depend on what you think of the taste of CBD oil.

That’s why great-tasting CBD is essential when you take it sublingually.

Choose a premium quality full spectrum CBD oil or broad spectrum CBD oil from Organica Naturals that tastes out of this world if you plan to take CBD drops under the tongue.

Don’t care for the taste of full-flavored CBD products?

No worries, we’ve got you covered.

Try Zero High® Pure CBD isolate instead – it’s a colorless, odorless, and flavorless oil tincture that you may also use sublingually.

Do You Swallow CBD Oil After Holding Under the tongue?

Sublingual CBD administration is superior to simply swallowing it.

But what do you do after holding CBD drops under the tongue for 30 to 90 seconds? Do you spit it out, or do you swallow the CBD oil?

You swallow your CBD oil after holding it under the tongue to get the maximum concentration of cannabidiol.

Think of it as a two-part strategy.

First, you hold CBD oil under your tongue to get all of the benefits of sublingual use (i.e., rapid absorption and up to 20% bioavailability).

Then you swallow the CBD oil to extract up to another 10% bioavailability through the digestive process.

Gastrointestinal CBD absorption is a lot slower than sublingual use, taking between two to three hours to reach peak concentrations.

In this way, you get the fast-acting and slow-acting benefits of the two CBD dosing methods.

When is the Best Time to Take CBD Oil Under the Tongue?

Your unique needs, lifestyle, and schedule should determine when is the best time to take CBD oil under the tongue for you.

Generally, it’s okay to take CBD at any time day or night depending on what you need.

Only you know what time of day works best for you.

CBD is non-psychoactive and non-toxic, so don’t hesitate to test varying dosage levels at different times of day before you find a usage schedule that’s right for you.

How often can you take CBD oil under the tongue?

CBD is safe to take as often as you like so long as you follow established usage guidelines according to your body weight.

Once you’ve determined your recommended CBD dose, you may split it into two or more doses spread out over four to six hours each.

How Long Does CBD Stay in Your System After Taking It Under the Tongue

CBD oil taken under the tongue is absorbed almost immediately into the bloodstream.

On average, CBD lasts four to six hours per dose.

Taking CBD under the tongue regularly allows for a buildup of serum levels in your blood. This will maximize how long CBD lasts in your system.

Are There Side Effects Taking CBD Oil Under the Tongue?

Side effects when taking CBD oil under the tongue are rare when following established usage guidelines.

RELATED: CBD Dosage Quick Start Guide: Find Your Perfect Dose In 3 Easy Steps 

CBD side effects reported (less than 0.5% incidence) are often similar to placebo and may include dry mouth, increased thirst, appetite increase or decrease, stomach upset, or drowsiness.

Allergic reactions are not common when taking CBD under the tongue, but you should talk to your doctor if you have had allergic reactions to any foods or medications or if you are sensitive to environmental allergens.

How Much CBD Oil Under the Tongue is Too Much?

It’s virtually impossible to overdose on CBD, but you can still take too much.

Always follow recommended dosages according to your body weight when taking CBD oil under the tongue. Too much CBD is typically considered any dose that exceeds 1.5 mg per pound (lb) of body weight.

Taking too much CBD increases the chance of adverse reactions, including dry mouth, increased thirst, appetite increase or decrease, stomach upset, or drowsiness.

Contact your primary healthcare provider if you think you’ve taken too much CBD under the tongue.