Do you know that babies, even though they don't have teeth have to clean their mouths/ tongues too? I am quite sure many parents actually don't know about this. Babies unlike us don't produce as much saliva, so after drinking milk you will observe that they have a build-up of white residue in their mouth. The excess milk can lead to bacteria growth.
By right, you should clean every feed. My Mum helps to clean his tongue/ gums once a week ever since our child passed 4 weeks and so far he seems fine. (I can do it myself but my Mum really enjoy this exclusive bonding moment so the honor is all hers.) The tool we use is Marcus & Marcus Finger Toothbrush & Gum Massager Set ($8.90).
From what I heard from other mothers, there are other different options in the market. However, this comes in a set of 2 and is reusable. I intend to use it to clean baby's tooth too! Ever since baby's mouth got bigger, my mom changed to the bristles. She dips the brush in a cup of water and give baby's mouth a good scrub. The silicon is very gentle and baby doesn't fuss at all when his mouth is being cleaned.
The only grouse I have with it is that it doesn't fit all fingers. My husband has insisted that his finger (even his pinky) can't fit in snuggly. My Mum and I have no problem at all, so I can safely say that it works for females. By the time he starts toothing, he will probably be used to this routine and hopefully he doesn't bite and hurt my mom >_<
