A Complete Guide to Sublingual CBD: What it Is & How to Use It

You are what you eat – but what about what you put under your tongue? You may not realize it, but your tongue is full of capillaries that directly connect your mouth to your bloodstream. Your tongue is a pathway to your internal bodily processes, which makes it a great place to target when it’s time to use some cannabidiol (CBD). Sublingual CBD products can go under your tongue and pack a powerful punch, thanks to their fast absorption times. Let’s explore what sublingual CBD is, how it works, and how you can get started with it.

What Does “Sublingual” Mean?

The word “sublingual” has its roots in Latin and literally means “under the tongue.” In the context of CBD and the medical field, it’s a method of taking medications by placing them under the tongue.

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Sublingual medications can come in the form of a tablet, spray, film, or liquid. It’s common practice for those on cardiovascular medications, steroids, and other drugs to take them sublingually.

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When medication is placed under the tongue (rather than swallowed), it’s able to dissolve more rapidly. Saliva in the mouth breaks down the substance, and mucous membranes under the tongue allow compounds to pass directly into the bloodstream. So, for cases where the effects of medication need to be felt fast, the sublingual route is an ideal option.

What is Sublingual CBD?

Sublingual CBD is – you guessed it – CBD meant to be ingested sublingually or under the tongue. 

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Some products may be designed specifically for sublingual use. But even if your product wasn’t created specifically for sublingual ingestion, the sublingual route remains strong. 

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Allowing any CBD product to dissolve under your tongue for a bit before you swallow it can help you ingest some of the cannabinoids inside quickly. 

Which CBD Products Can I Take Sublingually?

If it can go under your tongue, it can probably be taken sublingually. This applies to edible products only, of course – don’t go sticking any buds in your mouth anytime soon! There are some product types that lend themselves better to sublingual use than others, though. 

Sublingual CBD Tinctures

Tinctures contain cannabinoids like CBD in an alcohol-based formula that’s dispensed with a dropper. Sublingual consumption is actually the ideal way to use these products in most cases. You can place a few drops directly under your tongue or on a small piece of food that you then place under your tongue. 

Sublingual CBD Oil

CBD oil is a carrier – like hemp seed oil, for example – that’s infused with potent doses of CBD. There are a few types of CBD oil to consider:

• CBD Isolate Oils – CBD isolate is the purest form of CBD, being 99.9% pure. By taking this sublingually, you get just CBD, no THC at all, and no other cannabinoids or terpenes. 
• CBD Full-Spectrum Oils – Full-spectrum oils include CBD and all the other cannabinoids found within the cannabis plant. The plants are bred for high amounts of CBD and low amounts of THC, allowing them to be called hemp and below the 0.3% THC threshold required of legal CBD products.
• CBD Broad-Spectrum Oils – Broad-spectrum is similar to full-spectrum. The difference is it has gone through an extra step to remove 100% of the THC, making it not just below 0.3% THC, but 0%. You retain the entourage effect but with no THC at all.

Benefits of Sublingual CBD Use

Two primary benefits of taking CBD sublingually are the speed of absorption and the level of potency achieved. The tissue under the tongue has a huge number of capillaries to allow for CBD to diffuse directly into the bloodstream. This means that you can achieve higher doses of CBD when you take products sublingually. 

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If you take CBD and swallow it directly or use other oral products like edibles or capsules, the CBD goes directly to your stomach. In those cases, there are a couple of main risks to the CBD that can cause degradation. 

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The first is your gastrointestinal tract, including your stomach. This path is filled with dangers from various enzymes, stomach acid, and bile. They attack and reduce the potency of CBD, which is, of course, just a chemical compound.

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The second risk is that anything absorbed in your gastrointestinal tract must be processed by the liver. The liver can significantly alter the CBD through what is known as the “first-pass effect” of drug metabolism.

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Taking CBD sublingually avoids these risks and gets the CBD into your bloodstream quickly and with maximum potency.

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Beyond these unique benefits, you can also expect to reap the positive effects that come with CBD itself, including:

• Mind and body relaxation
• Lowered stress and anxiety levels
• Depression treatment
• Anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties
• Increased neuroplasticity 
• Better sleep

How to Take Sublingual CBD

Typically, you will be using a dropper to take sublingual CBD. Here’s how to do that step-by-step:

• Use the dropper to collect your desired amount of product. 
• Place the liquid under your tongue. 
• Leave the liquid or product in your mouth for one to two minutes. We recommend swishing the product around in your mouth a bit to help maximize absorption.
• Swallow the product after a minute or two of swishing and letting it sit under the tongue.

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Depending on your taste, you can always choose one of the many flavors available or use just the non-flavored CBD oil or tincture.

Sublingual CBD Absorption Time

Taking CBD sublingually creates maximum bloodstream levels between 30 minutes and four to five hours. The reason it may last even longer is that although some is absorbed in the tissues under your tongue, a lot is still swallowed and processed through your stomach and GI tract. 

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Bonus: Your absorption rates for taking CBD orally can increase dramatically if you have been eating. Chewing increases blood flow in the mouth and may improve your absorption rates.

How much CBD should I take sublingually?

Sublingual CBD dosage is dependent on several factors, including body weight, body chemistry (tolerance), and the condition you’re treating. 

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This last component is very important. Even if your weight is higher and your tolerance is low, knowing the "why" of using CBD is the most important piece to discovering the appropriate dosage. For example, are you using CBD just to add to your daily health routine, or are you dealing with severe pain?

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We commonly recommend that individuals start with either a 500mg or 1000mg bottle of CBD Oil or Tincture. Taking 1mL a day to start, which would be 17mg or 33mg respectively.  Depending on how you feel the effects, increasing the dosage over time until you find the right fit seems to be a good rule of thumb. 

Sublingual CBD Labeling and Dosing Calculations

Bottles of oil or tinctures range anywhere from 100mg to 3500 and up! They can come in various sizes – 30mL and 60mL bottles are the most common. 

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If you divide the total milligrams (mg) on the bottle by the size of the bottle (mL), then you know how many milligrams per milliliter. For those not math-inclined, let’s keep it simple. 

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If you have a 1000mg bottle of CBD and it’s a 30ml bottle, that means each 1mL is 1000/30, or 33mg. If that’s near your dosage, now determine how to get 1ml of liquid, which should be about 1 full dropper.

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Don’t be intimidated! When you find your dosage and how many droppers it takes, life is simple from there. Just put that many droppers in your mouth once or twice a day, depending on how you want to dose.

Final Thoughts

If you need fast-acting, reliable effects from your CBD product, you might want to take a trip down the sublingual route. Sublingual CBD is a favorite among medical marijuana patients and people treating chronic pain due to its rapid absorption time. But you don’t have to be treating severe pain to benefit from sublingual CBD – it’s a great way to consume products like CBD oil or tincture.

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If you’re ready to give sublingual CBD a try, it helps to shop smart. Count on The Green Dragon CBD to help you find top-notch goods from brands you can trust. Reach out to us at any time for more product guidance or a free personal consultation!

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You can see a summary of this article in this video: