Eat, drink and be merry. And thank your epiglottis, themarvelous flap of cartilage in your throat that makes the first twoacts possible. Make that all three: If you couldn’t eat or drink,you wouldn’t ...

Swallowing is one of the most obvious functions the epiglottis serves because it covers the airway, or larynx, when you eat and drink. When you swallow, the muscles in your throat respond by pulling ...

Epiglottitis is inflammation of the epiglottis. It can result from an infection or other cause, such as physical trauma. A severely swollen epiglottis can block the airway, causing severe breathing ...