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Tongue depressor sizes
Tongue depressor sizes differ from one supplier to the next. This guide shows the size we supply, 140 × 20 × 2.4 mm in grade 1 poplar, explains what each dimension means and helps you choose.
Our standard tongue depressor size
Our standard wooden tongue depressor is 140 mm long, 20 mm wide and 2.4 mm thick. In inches that is about 5.5 × 0.79 × 0.09 in. It is made from grade 1 poplar wood with a smooth surface by our manufacturing partner.
Each depressor can come in its own medical paper wrapper of 150 × 30 × 3 mm. A box holds 100 and a carton holds 50 boxes, so 5,000 per carton. The table shows the figures side by side.
| Length | 140 mm (about 5.5 in) |
| Width | 20 mm (about 0.79 in) |
| Thickness | 2.4 mm (about 0.09 in) |
| Material | Poplar wood, grade 1, smooth surface |
| Wrapper | Single medical paper wrapper, 150 × 30 × 3 mm |
| Packing | 100 per box, 50 boxes per carton (5,000) |
Is there one standard among tongue depressor sizes?
No single size is used everywhere. Suppliers publish their own dimensions, and a tongue depressor is simple enough to be made in slightly different lengths and widths. As one example of the spread, a US patent for a molded plastic tongue depressor states that the overall length can vary between 5.50 inches (13.97 cm) and 6.50 inches (16.50 cm), with 6 inches (15.24 cm) preferred.
Our 140 mm is 5.5 inches, which sits at the short end of that range. Because there is no common standard, compare all three dimensions and not only the length when you look at tongue depressor sizes from different suppliers.
What length, width and thickness mean
Length decides how far the blade reaches into the mouth and how much of it stays in the hand. It is the figure most listings give first.
Width decides how much of the tongue the blade covers. A wider blade covers more of the tongue, a narrower blade covers less.
Thickness decides how stiff the blade feels. A thicker blade bends less and a thinner blade bends more. Ours is 2.4 mm thick.
What wood are tongue depressors made of?
Most modern tongue depressors are flat, thin, wooden blades, and earlier versions were made from balsa, pine or redwood, according to the Wikipedia article on the tongue depressor. Wooden depressors are single-use items, which is why clinics and hospitals buy them by the carton.
Ours are grade 1 poplar with a smooth surface. If your supplier lists a size without naming the wood, ask which wood it is and how smooth the surface is. Both matter as much as the numbers.
How to choose between tongue depressor sizes
Start from what you use today. Measure a depressor your practice already uses and note its length, width and thickness.
Compare the same unit. Some listings use inches and others millimetres. One inch is 25.4 mm, so 6 inches is 152.4 mm.
Check the packing. The wrapper, the box and the carton each have their own size. Ours are 150 × 30 × 3 mm for the wrapper, 100 per box and 5,000 per carton, so you can plan your storage.
Ask for another size if you need it. If your practice uses a different size from ours, tell us and we confirm what we can supply.
Add your print if you want it. For custom printed tongue depressors the print is on the wrapper, and the depressor inside keeps the same size. See all our wooden tongue depressors.
Questions about tongue depressor sizes
What size is a standard tongue depressor?
There is no single standard. Ours is 140 × 20 × 2.4 mm, in grade 1 poplar wood.
How long is a tongue depressor?
It depends on the supplier. Ours is 140 mm long, about 5.5 inches.
Can you supply a different size?
Tell us the size you need and we confirm what we can supply.
Are the sizes the same for custom printed depressors?
Yes. The print goes on the wrapper, and the depressor inside is the same standard size.
What do the minimum order and the lead time depend on?
They depend on the product and the quantity. Send us your quantity and we reply with exact figures.
Tell us what you need
Product, size, quantity and destination are enough to start.