As someone whose job it is to smile on camera all day, every day, you can bet Katie Couric knows a few things about maintaining a sparkling smile. The former Today show anchor is currently headlining as Jeopardy!'s first-ever female guest host, and as a staunch supporter of trailblazing women, her latest endorsement makes a whole lot of sense. On Wednesday, Couric used her Instagram platform to endorse toothbrush brand Plus Ultra, a female-founded company that's created the first-ever biodegradable, plant-based electric toothbrush heads.  

Explaining that a friend tipped her off to the brand, which was created by Christina Ramirez, Couric says making the switch means you can "ditch plastic once and for all." The innovation is a huge step forward for the oral hygiene industry; per Plus Ultra, over 55 million electric toothbrush heads are thrown away each year in the U.S. alone. 

The brand created heads made of cornstarch and BPA-free nylon bristles in response to the rampant waste cycle, and it ensures that the patent-pending brush heads are compatible with all Philips Sonicare click-on handles. Likewise important, Plus Ultra states that the heads were designed with dentists from the University of California, Los Angeles to be compliant with the American Dental Association.

Buy It! Plus Ultra Eco Brush Heads, $22.99 with coupon (orig. $24.99); amazon.com

On Amazon, shoppers say that the brush heads are a great way to reduce plastic waste while sticking with their Sonicare toothbrushes, especially for those who switch out brush heads every six weeks. The soft nylon bristles feel great on their gums, and shoppers' relief is palpable in reviews, such as one titled "Finally a green option!!" 

Another person writes that despite trying to get on board with bamboo toothbrushes, they kept coming back to their more efficient electric toothbrush. Now, they get the best of both worlds. "I love that these toothbrush heads are biodegradable. It feels like now I get to contribute to decreasing the plastic waste that is plaguing our planet with minimum sacrifice," they write. "Fits my Sonicare electric toothbrush perfectly. Works great. I just love this option and highly recommend it!" 

Plus Ultra was the first company to sell bamboo toothbrushes in the U.S. back in 2012, so it has a legacy of smart alternatives. And given that the new brush heads take only a few months to biodegrade where traditional plastic needs 450 years, it's doubtless the brand's created a reputation that will take its durable place. Thank Katie Couric for this one. 

Buy It! Plus Ultra Bamboo Toothbrush, $9.99 for two; amazon.com