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The sucking reflex seems to belong with the rooting reflex. It is present before birth, and also aids in breastfeeding. It causes the child to instinctively begin to suck on anything that touches the roof of their mouth. This reflex is common to mammals, and specifically designed to express milk through the breastfeeding process. There are two stages to the action.
Starting around the 6- or 7-month mark in babies, the gag reflex diminishes, allowing a baby to swallow chunky or solid foods. In children and adults, the reflex is usually only triggered by the presence of an unusually large object in the back of the throat. However, 10-15 percent of people have a hypersensitive gag reflex (HGR), which continues to get activated by substances in the mouth.