The issue is, there are actually two openings at the back of the throat, one to the oesophagus, and the other to the trachea, which leads to the lungs. How do we make sure that our food enters the correct opening? We have a little flap called the epiglottis, which normally stays open so we can breathe, but then closes up the opening to the trachea when we swallow, so the food goes down the oesophagus and heads to the stomach.
