An anti-fluoride campaign staged in Thames ahead of the fluoridation referendum has been deemed by the Advertising Standards Authority to be 'intentionally misleading”.

Collated on Thursday, the referendum's results showed 73 per cent of the total votes cast were in favour of continuing fluoridation of the town's water supply, while 27 per cent were opposed.

A total of 2,947 votes were cast in the referendum, with 2,151 votes cast in favour of continuing the practice, 795 in opposition, while one blank vote was returned.

Ahead of the release of the results, Making Sense of Fluoride announced a complaint it laid with the ASA concerning billboards and flyers produced ahead of the referendum by an anti-fluoride lobby group has been upheld.

MSoF president Daniel Ryan says the authority found the anti-fluoride advertising was untruthful, played on fear and ‘presented an opinion as a statement of fact in a manner that was likely to mislead consumers and exploit their lack of knowledge'.

The authority also ruled it was not prepared with a due sense of social responsibility to consumers and to society, adds Daniel.

'Thames people were subjected to scare tactics, but most voters have recognised the overwhelming scientific consensus of the safety and effectiveness of fluoridation,” says Daniel. 'The lobbyists will no doubt move on to new territory now that Thames has so firmly shut the door.”

Daniel believes the results will also vindicate a decision made by the Thames Community Board following two days of public hearings on fluoridation of the town's water supply back in 2013.

He says lobbyists never accepted the community board's decision and continued to pressure the Thames-Coromandel District Council which led to the referendum.

'What Thames residents have done today is to send a clear message that they trust their health professionals and the genuine science more than the squeaky lobbyists.”

Waikato District Health Board deputy chair and Thames local Sally Christie describes the results as 'a fantastic decision for the health of every resident”.

Sally acknowledges the locals who worked hard to put 'a reasoned and scientific campaign together to inform our community about the importance of fluoride”.

'I also want to thank the residents of Thames who have given a resounding message to council about what they want in their community,” she says. 'Now that is that, so let's get on with making this place even better than it has ever been.”

Waikato District Health Board medical officer of health Dr Felicity Dumble was also ecstatic with the result.

'Water fluoridation is one part of keeping our teeth healthy,” says Felicity. 'Combined with regular tooth brushing, oral health checks and a sensible diet this result will only improve Thames residents' overall health.”

The Ministry of Health and the Waikato District Health Board strongly support water fluoridation as a safe, effective and affordable way to prevent and reduce tooth decay across the whole population.

To read the Advertising Standards Authority decision visit: www.asa.co.nz and search for ‘Complaint 15/425 Fluoride Free Thames, Billboard'