What keeps food from entering your lungs?

Answer 1

The epiglottis is a flap of skin in the throat that covers the trachea (tube to your lungs) when you eat and the esophagus (tube to your digestive system) when you breathe. This keeps air from entering your stomach and food from entering your lungs. In addition, cilia and mucus line the trachea walls. They trap dust,bacteria and other bits and pieces that you don't want in your lungs.

Answer 2

When you eat, your breathing tube closes up, so you can swallow. That only happens after your lyrinx drops (when a toddler) because young ones need to breath when getting breast-fed. Thanks!

Answer 3

What? Food goes down your lungs? Jeez. I always though it went down you esophagus and into you intestines. Huh. Learn a new thing every day.

Answer 4

The epiglottis
There is a little flap of tissue called the epiglottis that covers the opening of the trachea whenever you eat, drink or swallow.

Answer 5

You have the epiglottis cartilage. Usually it is upright allowing air to pass into larynx and hence to lungs but when a person swallows, the epiglottis folds back to prevent entry to larynx

Answer 6

When you swallow, the epiglottis closes over the opening to the trachea. This prevents food from entering the lungs.

Answer 7

the nasal passage

Answer 8

The epiglottis.

Answer 9

epiglottis