Rugby league player carries opponent's embedded tooth for 15 weeks
Tue Jul 17, 1:03 AM
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) - An Australian rugby league player competed for 15 weeks without knowing an opponent's tooth was buried in his forehead.
Former National Rugby League prop Ben Czislowski, now playing with Brisbane club Wynnum, had a clash of heads with Tweed Heads forward Matt Austin during a match on April 1, the Australian Associated Press reported Tuesday.
He had the wound stitched up but afterward suffered an eye infection and complained of shooting pains in his head and of feeling lethargic.
A visit to his doctor last week revealed the tooth still imbedded in his head.
"I can laugh about it now, but the doctor told me it could have been serious with teeth carrying germs," said Czislowski, who kept the tooth as a souvenir.
"I've got the tooth at home, sitting on the bedside table," he said. "If he (Austin) wants it back he can have it. I'm keeping it at the moment as proof that it actually happened."
In 2004, Australian rugby league hooker Shane Millard also had an opponent's tooth removed from his head while playing for English club Widnes.
Two years earlier, Australian Jamie Ainscough's arm became so badly infected while playing for Wigan in England there were fears it would be amputated before the source - an imbedded tooth - was discovered.
Tue Jul 17, 1:03 AM
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) - An Australian rugby league player competed for 15 weeks without knowing an opponent's tooth was buried in his forehead.
Former National Rugby League prop Ben Czislowski, now playing with Brisbane club Wynnum, had a clash of heads with Tweed Heads forward Matt Austin during a match on April 1, the Australian Associated Press reported Tuesday.
He had the wound stitched up but afterward suffered an eye infection and complained of shooting pains in his head and of feeling lethargic.
A visit to his doctor last week revealed the tooth still imbedded in his head.
"I can laugh about it now, but the doctor told me it could have been serious with teeth carrying germs," said Czislowski, who kept the tooth as a souvenir.
"I've got the tooth at home, sitting on the bedside table," he said. "If he (Austin) wants it back he can have it. I'm keeping it at the moment as proof that it actually happened."
In 2004, Australian rugby league hooker Shane Millard also had an opponent's tooth removed from his head while playing for English club Widnes.
Two years earlier, Australian Jamie Ainscough's arm became so badly infected while playing for Wigan in England there were fears it would be amputated before the source - an imbedded tooth - was discovered.