Objective To study the effect of shortening the time of initial oral intake and fluid intake after general anesthesia in patients receiving oral and maxillofacial surgery on promotion of postoperative recovery. Methods A total of 116 patients were divided into the control group and the observation group with 58 cases in each group by random digit table from January 2014 to December 2015. Patients in the control group were allowed to take food orally 6 h after they regain analepsia from anesthesia;while those in the observation group were allowed to drink water after 2 h upon analepsia from anesthesia and take liquid food after 4 h. The mis-aspiration, the fasting glucose, blood pressure, heart rate and the rate of hunger, thirst, nausea, vomiting as well as blood pressure and heart rate were observed. Results The rates of hunger, thirst, nausea, vomiting in the observation group were 17.2%(10/58), 5.2%(3/58), 12.1%(7/58), 1.7%(1/58), which were significantly lower than those in the control group, which were 94.8%(55/58), 91.4%(53/58), 36.2%(21/58), 10.3%(6/58), and there were significant differences(χ2=7.484-54.772, all P<0.05). The fasting plasma glucose level in the observation group [(4.93 ± 0.85)mmol/L] was higher than that in the control group [(4.05 ± 0.51)mmol/L],and there was significant difference(t=-7.152, P<0.05). There were significant differences in blood pressure 3 h and 5 h after operation compared with those of the control group(P<0.05). Conclusions Shortening the time of taking food for patients undergoing oral and maxillofacial surgery can relieve uncomfortable symptoms , prevent hypoglycemia and the hemodynamic disturbance after anesthesia and promote recovery,early postoperative feeding should be suggested on the premise that they are fully awake.