...calling the palatine uvula the "dangly bit at the back of your throat."

Close. I've had fun calling it "the dingle-dangle in the back of the throat" for forty-plus years.
Strangely enough, absolutely everybody knows what I mean, too. Pretty impressive
for imprecise non-technical language.

(But then, I also call my sphygmomanometer a "blood-pressure-taker"
and my ophthalmoscope an "eyeball-looker-inner."
Always was fond of the KISS principle!)
Keep It Simple, Stupid!