I tried toothpaste from Twice, an oral care startup that was cofounded by Lenny Kravitz - it helps provide free dental care to underserved communities in the Bahamas

• After a volunteer dental mission to the Bahamas, singer Lenny Kravitz and brothers Cody and Julian Levine were inspired to continue giving back to underserved communities.
• They cofounded Twice, an oral care brand that donates 10% of profits to the GLO Good Foundation, which provides communities with life-changing dental care, education, and supplies.
• Twice makes two types of toothpaste ($17/2-pack), one for daytime use and one for nighttime use. Each one differs slightly in form and function, but both toothpastes contain clean and effective ingredients to whiten and strengthen your teeth and encourage a healthy twice-daily brushing habit.

Brushing your teeth twice a day is one of the many ways you can practice good oral care. It's also the basic premise behind Twice, a new startup that sells toothpaste - one designed for morning use and the other for nighttime use - to encourage the habit.

Twice, however, isn't just an online company sheathing an everyday product in nice branding and premium product speak.

Twice was born out of a desire to help people who don't have full and proper access to dental care. In 2015, singer Lenny Kravitz, brothers Cody and Julian Levine, and a team of dentists visited Elleithee, Bahamas, on a volunteer mission to provide free full-service dental care. These included teeth cleanings, extractions, whitening, root canals, and dentures.

Twice is a mission-driven company

The Bahamas hold particular significance for Kravitz, whose mother was first-generation Bahamian-American. He visits the islands often and owns some land on the island of Eleuthera, so seeing the physical and emotional effects of quality dentistry on his community spurred him and his volunteer team to continue giving to the cause.

Their solution is Twice, a toothpaste that would not only help underserved communities, but also mainstream consumers smile a little brighter. Ten percent of all profits go to the GLO Good Foundation, which serves communities with life-changing dentistry, education, and supplies.

In 2019, these donations helped treat more than 500 patients with more than $1 million worth of dentistry services. They also resulted in over 1,000 tubes of toothpaste and over 300 hours of service donated to the foundation.

What's special about Twice toothpaste

The toothpaste itself is carefully formulated alongside the Levine brothers' father, a dentist and chairman at Boston University's dental school.

It's free from ingredients like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), parabens, and sulfates. It contains fluoride to strengthen tooth enamel and potassium nitrate to reduce tooth sensitivity. Twice also infuses vitamins A, C, and E, and aloe vera into its toothpaste to help soothe gums.

The toothpaste comes in two- ($17) or four-packs ($32), which you can buy as a one-time purchase or subscription (delivered every one, two, or three months). You can also buy each toothpaste variety separately for $9 each.

There's the Early Bird (morning) and the Twilight (night), which differ in function and taste. The Early Bird tastes like wintergreen and peppermint, giving it a sharper and mintier taste to wake you up in the morning. It helps whiten and strengthen your teeth for the day ahead. At night, switch to the Twilight, which tastes like peppermint with vanilla and lavender. The taste is more subtle and calming, and the main function is to clean the day's surface stains off.

Brushing my teeth with Twice toothpaste

I thought the difference between the two, at least in terms of taste, wasn't as big as I was expecting. The Early Bird is definitely more powerful and minty, while the Twilight has just a hint of vanilla. I couldn't taste the lavender. In general, though, they both cleaned my teeth well and give my mouth a fresh feeling, and I appreciated their clean formulation.

I also like the idea of using two toothpastes. It's not a mandatory switch to make in your life, but it did have its benefits. The act of purposely switching toothpastes between morning and night made the act of tooth-brushing feel intentional and ritualistic. Using Twice was a reminder to continue a good oral care habit and also, keeping its larger mission in mind, to appreciate the relative accessibility of quality dental care in my own life.

Bottom line

Twice is pricier than traditional toothpaste, costing two to three times more than popular brands such as Crest or Colgate. The reason for this premium price has to do with its high-quality ingredients, unique way of shifting your attitudes towards brushing your teeth, and of course, its philanthropic mission.

It's not for everyone, but if these are values you care about, I'm sure you'll enjoy your experience with Twice.

Shop The Duo Toothpaste for $17 at Twice