You cannot breathe and swallow simultaneously

Health
You cannot breathe and swallow simultaneously

Your body cleverly prevents choking by closing your windpipe with the epiglottis every time you swallow, making it impossible to breathe simultaneously.

You physically can't breathe while swallowing! A clever flap of cartilage, called the epiglottis, automatically closes over your windpipe during a swallow. This prevents food or liquid from entering your lungs, completely stopping airflow for that brief moment.

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