We are all born with a natural reflex that automatically opens our nasal passages to allow food to pass into our mouth. It’s part of our evolutionary survival mechanism. I like to think of it as a “mouthful of water.” It’s also known as the “soft palate rises reflex” because once we swallow, our soft palate automatically lifts up as we swallow, opening up our nasal passages. This reflex can be heightened by stress, dehydration, or when we have a cold.
This reflexive reflex is caused by the palatal reflex. It’s a reflex and it doesn’t come without a purpose. It helps us to take food in our mouth and to pass that food to our stomach so that we can digest it and enjoy the sweetness of the nutrients contained in it. When we don’t have that reflex, we can’t get that sweet taste in our mouth.
The nose is a key part of the digestive system, that is why when we swallow, as a reflex, the soft palate rises up to open the nasopharynx in order to swallow the food. The soft palate is a cartilage that stretches across the back of the pharynx, which is basically the tube that carries food from the mouth to the esophagus.
The soft palate is the upper part of the nasal cavity that has a very similar structure to the tongue. The soft palate extends from the pharynx to the upper throat. It is the most flexible part of the nasal cavity and can easily slide over to the back of the throat and allow food to enter the nasal cavities. Many people find it difficult to swallow or spit out food which is why they seek support in the form of a soft palate to help them swallow.
The soft palate rises reflexively when a person swallows food. This reflex action helps us swallow more food and thus has a large impact on the amount of food we can eat. This reflex action is triggered by an involuntary muscle in our throat. This muscle is called the palatal reflex. It is responsible for the initial reflex action during swallowing which allows us to start the process of swallowing.
When food enters the mouth, it is swallowed through the soft palate. This is usually the last part of the gastrointestinal tract to be consumed. With increased awareness of the importance of soft palate in digestion, researchers have studied the role of the soft palate in swallowing and eating. They have found that when the soft palate rises to open the pharynx, it helps the bolus pass through the pharynx and swallow into the esophagus (the tube connecting the esophagus to the stomach).
Our upper airway is the passage from the mouth to the pharynx. The upper airway is involved in the coordination of many body functions. The soft palate is located at the back of the mouth and is important for the coordination of swallow. When we swallow, the soft palate rises and the pharynx opens. If you cannot find your pharynx and the soft palate rise, it is likely that you are not swallowing and are experiencing difficulty swallowing. This can cause difficulty breathing.
