Is it bad for you if your drinking water and it goes down the wrong tube?

Sometimes when a person eats or drinks something, it may end up down the wrong tube or pipe. What this really means is that if you are talking or laughing as you swallow the food or drink, the larynx can be a little late in closing off the airway to seal it from intrusion. If this happens, a strong coughing reflex will occur that will help bring the food back up into the area it is supposed to go.