A dysfunctional epiglottis is when the epiglottis, the "flap" that separates the trachea from the esophagus, stops working correctly. This causes food to mistakenly go down the trachea when swallowing, and also saliva. This condition can get more serious over time.
Symptoms
Symptoms of a dysfunctional epiglottis include choking on saliva or food more often than usual. This is the most common symptom, but there may be more.
References
Dysfunctional epiglottis Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA