How can the use of mysql_query() in PHP lead to potential errors or issues in database interactions?

Using mysql_query() in PHP can lead to potential errors or security issues such as SQL injection attacks. This function is deprecated and should not be used as it does not support prepared statements, making it vulnerable to malicious input. To mitigate these risks, it is recommended to use mysqli_query() or PDO (PHP Data Objects) for interacting with databases in PHP.

// Using mysqli_query() instead of mysql_query() to interact with the database
$query = "SELECT * FROM users";
$result = mysqli_query($connection, $query);

if ($result) {
    while ($row = mysqli_fetch_assoc($result)) {
        // Process the data
    }
} else {
    echo "Error: " . mysqli_error($connection);
}

// Remember to properly sanitize and validate user input before constructing SQL queries