0 a small flat part at the back of the tongue that closes when you swallow to prevent food from entering the tube that goes to the lungs --
1 a flat part at the back of the tongue, which closes when you swallow to stop food from entering the tube that air goes down --
The vestibular fold is formed by the vestibular ligament extending from lateral walls of epiglottis to arytenoid cartilage covered with mucous membrane.
The epiglottis and arytenoids are cherry-red and swollen.
The epiglottis functions to guard the entrance of the glottis, the opening between the vocal folds.
When food is being swallowed, the epiglottis moves backward to cover the larynx, preventing food from entering the trachea.
In the human body the automatic temporary closing of the epiglottis is controlled by the swallowing reflex.
The epiglottis may be active, contacting the pharynx, or passive, being contacted by the aryepiglottal folds.
Humans have taste receptors on taste buds (gustatory calyculi) and other areas including the upper surface of the tongue and the epiglottis.
Subsequently, false vocal fold adduction, adduction of the aryepiglottic folds and retroversion of the epiglottis take place.
