Would you characterize this behavior as OCD?

[Incubus]

There is a woman in the Theater Arts building to carries around a tube of toothpaste and toothbrush with her. Anytime she eats something, even if its just one little cracker, she has to brush her teeth. Lunch, can of juice, nibble on a carrot stick, its brushing time for her When people ask, “Why are you carrying around toothpaste?” out of curiosity, she gets hyper defensive and starts tearing up. I’m afraid to ask her about it because I don’t want her to wig out on me, but I am a little bit concerned. She was auditioning for a play at the same time I was (different play). She was acting kind of neurotic during auditions, and at the time I thought it was just butterflies in the stomach or something (because I know I was anxious!) but now I’m starting to wonder if it is more than that…

[Yorikke]

Couldn’t say about OCD, but she clearly has… issues of some sort

G

[even_sven]

I recently spent many many thousands of dollars on my stupid teeth, and untold time and pain. After this, I started brushing my teeth constantly. I don’t want to have to go through the hell of bad teeth again and I can’t afford to get more work done or lose more teeth. Some people just have worse enamal than others and have to be more vigilant.

She may also have an issue like a broken tooth that traps food that really does need to be cleaned out every time she eats until she can get it fixed.

[cher3]

My husband had to get braces as an adult and became very particular about his teeth to avoid the problems braces can cause. He continues to brush and floss after every meal and snack, whenever possible, and also takes a brush and floss with him most everywhere.

He doesn’t cry if you ask him about it, though, as far as I know.

[kevja]

I’ve know several people who have kept a toothbrush at work. even sven presents a logical reason why she may be doing this.

And to the OP, why the concern? She brushes her teeth a lot. So what. If she wants to share something about herself to you, she will. In the meantime, focus on your own life.

And “neurotic” at an audition? Isn’t that kind of “normal” for the theatre?

[ninetypercent]

Obsessions as defined by (1), (2), (3), and (4):

(1) recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses, or images that are experienced, at some time during the disturbance, as intrusive and inappropriate and that cause marked anxiety or distress 
(2) the thoughts, impulses, or images are not simply excessive worries about real-life problems 
(3) the person attempts to ignore or suppress such thoughts, impulses, or images, or to neutralize them with some other thought or action 
(4) the person recognizes that the obsessional thoughts, impulses, or images are a product of his or her own mind (not imposed from without as in thought insertion) 

Compulsions as defined by (1) and (2):

(1) repetitive behaviors (e.g., hand washing, ordering, checking) or mental acts (e.g., praying, counting, repeating words silently) that the person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession, or according to rules that must be applied rigidly 
(2) the behaviors or mental acts are aimed at preventing or reducing distress or preventing some dreaded event or situation; however, these behaviors or mental acts either are not connected in a realistic way with what they are designed to neutralize or prevent or are clearly excessive 

from http://www.behavenet.com/capsules/disorders/o-cd.htm .

Nope, not OCD. Going by the OP… that is not severe enough, although I would not be surprised if the person was prescribed a psychiatric medication because of such obviously obsessive teeth-brushing. It would depend on what they told a Qualified Professional. IMHO.

[Abbie_Carmichael]

IANAD.

No, not OCD. At least not based on this one little thing.

Maybe she has to be really careful with her teeth; some people are more prone to cavities than others. Maybe as a child she had some horrible nasty gum infection that was humiliating and her parents were too poor to have them fixed and so now she’s really uptight about dental care.

Who knows? Considering at any given time you can walk up to her and not get knocked over by kitten breath, I don’t see how her habit is a bad thing.

[CynicalGabe]

No, its not really OCD.
Excuse me.

/washes hands.

[Sunshine_and_Smiles]

she might might might might might might might might might!!!

~S&S (might might)

[davenportavenger]

I brush my teeth after I eat anything, because I don’t have dental insurance and if I did get a cavity it would be expensive to fix. So I don’t think it’s that weird. Well, the crying seems a little weird.

[Hentor_the_Barbarian]

A ritual may or may not be a compulsive behavior, and may or may not be part of OCD. It depends on the presence of obsessive thinking and the meaning of that behavior vis a vis the obsessive thought.

[Larry_Mudd]

Not OCD, but possibly misguided. Excessive brushing can wear away the enamel (or gums) and lead to serious dental problems.

[Scoundrel_Swanswater]

You really shouldn’t brush your teeth that often.
You will more than likely damage them.

Upon preview : what Larry Mud said.

[BrotherCadfael]

I was listening to a comic the other night who claimed to have both OCD and ADD, so that she forgets to wash her hands a hundred times a day…

[lachesis]

just as an alternate viewpoint – i recall reading in something or other that one way to discourage yourself from excessive snacking/encourage weight loss was to make yourself brush your teeth after ANYTHING you ate.

but crying about carrying your toothbrush/toothpaste was not part of the regime.