Finally my braces are off...And I have retainer questions?!

[Poultrygirl]

I just got my braces off monday. They took the molds and I will get the metal hawley retainers in three weeks. Now I just have the clear plastic Essix ones.
The tech was kinda grumpy so I didn't get much of a chance to ask all my retainer questions.
HERE GOES:
1.) I CANNOT EAT/DRINK ANYTHING WITH THE RETAINERS IN? Are you able to drink soda/eat with the hawley ones?
2.) Let's say I go out to eat, and don't have a toothbrush on me (this is what happened the afternoon I got them off). I leave retainer out for 3 hours. THen I brush my teeth and put them back in. Will my teeth have moved? Will they move back to their correct spot when I put the retainer in? Obviously, it still fits great.
3.) If I eat/drink do I have to brush b4 puttting them back in? Swishing with water after a soda isn't good enough? Yesterday I brushed my teeth FOUR times! How many times can you safely brush your teeth a day?
4.) M.I paste...can I put that directly into my retainer b4 bed? or not? The ortho wants me to continue using it, but he didn't say how now.
5.) HOW FAST do teeth shift?

[Sunny]

Poultry I've not had retainers yet, but I can answer these questions as we do for clients at work.

1) With the essix type retainers it's water only. With hawleys ather fluids are ok, but no hot drinks.

2)Your teeth may move in three hours, but they'll quickly get back into place when you put your retainers back in. With the essix type retainers, it's important to make sure your teeth are always clean before you put them back in. With the hawley it's also important, but you can get away with a very good water rinse, due to the hawley not covering the enamel on the teeth and therefore there's no risk of damaging the enamel.

3) After sodo or any foods/liquids with acid never brush for at least 30 minutes. Rinsing with water is the best way to clean ... but don't put the essix type retainers on until you've cleaned your teeth, so it has to be a wait of over 30 minutes. Brushing while you have acid residue on your teeth, puts the enamel at risk ... something that can't be fixed once it's damaged.

It's not a question of how many times you brush ... but how you brush. It's important not to damage the enamel on your teeth, or your gums. Therefore it's best to use a soft toothbrush with a small head. We recommend children's toothbrushes and oral b for electric heads. When brushing, move the brush gently and think about what you're doing ... this is not a good time to be daydreaming.

4) M.I paste? Give your ortho a call and ask ... he obviously knows the right answer, so please ask him.

5) How long is a piece of string? There is no way of answering this question, as it varies from person to person and each person may find that it varies for them. The important thing to remember is, that your teeth will move for as long as you're alive. So unless you're prepared for them to return to where they used to be (an maybe worse), you will need to continue with some form of retainer wear for life.

Good luck!