This is one way to tell when a patient has swallowed the food and how long it took them to swallow after the food was in their mouth.

Index finger behind mandible anteriorly (to feel for tongue movement)

Middle finger at the hyoid bone (can feel the elevation of the hyoid / larynx)

Third finger at top of thyroid cartilage (can feel larynx elevate / return)

Fourth finger at bottom of thyroid cartilage (can feel larynx return to rest)

Times of the phases varies:

1. Oral Preparatory Phase: Time varies

2. Oral Phase: Time varies

3. Pharyngeal phase: 1 second

4. Esophageal phase: 8-10 seconds