A rolling cone drill bit comprises a bit body and a plurality of rolling cone cutters mounted on the bit body. Each cone cutter includes a plurality of gage cutting elements. Each gage cutting element has a cutting portion extending from a base portion to an extension height. Further, each gage cutting element contacts a gage curve at a gage curve contact point in a composite rotated profile view. Each gage cutting element has a cross-sectional area A1 in a first offset reference plane parallel to a base reference plane and offset from the base reference plane by an offset distance d1 equal to 10% of the extension height. The ratio of A1 to a cross-sectional area Ab of the base portion of each gage cutting element is less than 11%.