MySQL uses DATEDIFF to compare two date type values.

DATEDIFF() returns expr1 − expr2 expressed as a value in days from one date to the other. expr1 and expr2 are date or date-and-time expressions. Only the date parts of the values are used in the calculation.

mysql> SELECT DATEDIFF('2007-12-31 23:59:59','2007-12-30');
        -> 1
mysql> SELECT DATEDIFF('2010-11-30 23:59:59','2010-12-31');
        -> -31