What role does proper data sanitization play in preventing syntax errors in SQL queries when updating database records in PHP, and how can it be implemented effectively?

Proper data sanitization is crucial in preventing syntax errors in SQL queries when updating database records in PHP. This involves escaping special characters and using prepared statements to protect against SQL injection attacks. Implementing data sanitization effectively ensures that user input is properly formatted and safe for database operations.

// Example of implementing data sanitization in PHP
$pdo = new PDO('mysql:host=localhost;dbname=mydatabase', 'username', 'password');

// Assume $userInput is the user input data to be sanitized
$userInput = $_POST['user_input'];

// Sanitize the user input using PDO prepared statements
$stmt = $pdo->prepare("UPDATE mytable SET column_name = :userInput WHERE id = :id");
$stmt->bindParam(':userInput', $userInput, PDO::PARAM_STR);
$stmt->bindParam(':id', $id, PDO::PARAM_INT);
$stmt->execute();