Johnna
I worked for a dentist for many years. It is necessary to clean the tongue. You can also brush you tongue gently after brushing your teeth, and this will effectively clean the germs off of your teeth. I have been using this method for years.Tongue scrapers are OK too. But they are hard to find. Also. I wash our toothbrushes in the dishwasher once a week to keep them clean and sterile. you can reinfect yourself with your toothbrush after getting over a flu, cold, or other illness. For maximimum effeciency you should replace your toothbrush every two or three months. A toothbrush with frayed or bent bristles does not properly clean your teeth and gums!