DML statements are the core of interacting with data in a relational database management system (RDBMS). They allow you to modify existing data, add new records, and retrieve information. The most common DML commands are INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, and SELECT. INSERT is used to add new rows to a table, UPDATE modifies existing rows, and DELETE removes rows. SELECT, while technically a DML command, is often considered separately as it retrieves data without changing the database structure. These commands are essential for tasks like managing customer information, tracking inventory, or analyzing sales data.