An Australian rugby player participated in matches for over four months before discovering an opponent's tooth buried in his head.

Ben Czislowski, needed stitches above his left eye after butting heads with a rival in early April.

Czislowski later suffered an eye infection and shooting pains until a doctor discovered the embedded tooth last week, according to the BBC.

"I can laugh about it now but the doctor told me it could have been serious," said the 24-year-old, who keeps the tooth on his bedside table.

Czislowski, who was playing for Brisbane squad Wynnum when he collided with Matt Austin, said he was willing to mail the tooth back to Austin, but was holding onto it until then as proof of the bizarre injury.

Austin, who plays for the Tweed Heads team, lost several teeth in the incident and suffered a broken jaw.