Sedation dentistry and periodontal disease?

I think I might have periodontal disease, and I'm freaking out. I have an extreme phobia of the dentist, and haven't been in about 12 years! I ume I'll have to get a deep cleaning/scaling/planing done, and I am terrified. I have been considering sedation dentistry, the asleep kind of sedation (iv), not the conscious sedation (laughing gas), although I admit I'm a little weary of being completely knocked out. Anyone have any experience with any of this?