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Is swallowing your own phlegm harmful?

No. You swallow a litre and a half of phlegm every day. It is driven from your lungs to your throat by the thousands of cilia cells that line your respiratory passages. This flushes the lungs clear of dust and germs, and your swallow reflex transfers it to your oesophagus and back down to the stomach, so that the water and proteins can be reabsorbed.

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