Gag reflex is also known as pharyngeal reflex. When the soft palate, the area of the back of the roof of the mouth, is touched, the back of the throat contracts. This helps prevent a person from choking because only food small enough to not be choked on will make it past the soft palate without triggering the gag reflex. If a person does not have a gag reflex, it may be an indication that the
. person has sustained damage to their glossopharyngeal nerve, among other things. Some things can cause abnormalities of the gag reflex, such as Wallenberg's syndrome, which is defined by hoarseness and is usually the result of paralysis of the vocal chords. There is a chance that some people do not have a gag reflex and are completely healthy, though only one-third of healthy individuals do not have a gag reflex. Others learn to suppress it for performance reasons, such as sword swallowers. Still others intentionally induce vomiting, such as sufferers of bulimia.
