Eating hot food will affect the epiglottis, and overheating of food will lead to mucosal damage of the epiglottis. If the food is too hot, the whole pharynx, including the epiglottis, as well as the esophagus, may be damaged by heat.
The epiglottis is located at the entrance of the larynx, which is also an important organ for breathing and swallowing. During swallowing, the body of the larynx is lifted up and the epiglottis covers the entrance of the laryngeal cavity in order to ensure that the food enters into the esophagus smoothly, thus avoiding accidental inhalation and choking. Therefore, food will pass through the surface of the epiglottis in the process of swallowing, and food that is too hot will affect the epiglottis.
It is recommended to choose warm food as much as possible, and minimize the consumption of hot or spicy food to reduce the irritation to the pharynx, epiglottis and esophageal mucosa.