Is it important to clean baby's new teeth? How do I do it safely?

I cleaned my daughter's gums after every feed -- even before her first tooth sprouted. I had a dozen soft muslin cloths cut into small squares just for this purpose. I would dip them in warm water, asap is around my index finger and gently swab the gums and the new teeth with it. I have a dentist int he family and he highly recommended this method.